50-Year Member: Rhemac Motors

Rhemac Motors, located at Gawler, was started in 1969 by friends David Jewis and John Day. The business initially specialised in mechanical repairs, led by David, and crash repairs, led by John.

A little while after the business opened David’s brother, Des, joined as an apprentice mechanic. In the mid 80’s John left the business, and took the crash repair section with him. Around the same time Rhemac Motors added Engine Reconditioning as a service, led by Des. During the 1990’s David’s sons, Peter and Mark, also joined the team, ensuring the business would be a family affair for the foreseeable future.

Mark started as an apprentice in 1994, and has worked his way up over the years, developing as the business did.

“In the mid 2000s, I started spending more time on the front counter dealing with customers, and working in the background on business improvement. Currently, I manage the engine machine shop and the parts of the business that go on in the background that no one sees,” said Mark.

Rhemac Motors began as a small workshop but has broadened its offering over the years. In the 1980s, an engine machine shop was added and the business developed a specialisation in performance engine work.

“Over the years, like all businesses, it adapted to suit the market of the time,” said Mark.

The client range Rhemac Motors handles is extensive. The business offers services and repairs for the cars of local residents, as well as engine work for other mechanical workshops throughout South Australia and interstate.

“We’ve also been an oil and lubricant distributor and reseller for various brands for many years, servicing a lot of smaller workshops and wineries in our area and in the Barossa and Clare Valleys,” said Mark. “We’ve had a close association with the RAA for many years starting as an approved repairer, and then becoming a road service contractor for the Gawler area.”

Rhemac Motors moved shops a decade ago, a process Mark stated was a career highlight, and marked a new stage for the business.

“To move an entire workshop and machine shop, with as minimal impact to business as possible, and get the chance to set the workshop up from a clean slate was a massive challenge,” he said. “It took an immense amount of planning and work, but to see it all come together and end up with the result we did was fantastic.”

COVID-19 proved challenging for Rhemac Motors with an initial decline in work. However, Mark has since seen a significant upside to the pandemic as far as mechanical workshops are concerned.

“More recently with the restrictions and unpredictable nature of travel, I believe it’s driven a boom in hobbyist restorations and rebuilds which has seen us very busy,” he said.

Rhemac Motors recently celebrated their 50-Year MTA Membership milestone, an amazing achievement that shows their dedication to the SA automotive industry.

“The MTA provide a valuable range or resources and advice that we can rely on to help our business in many ways, including keeping up with current regulations, advocating for our industry, and training and support that smaller businesses need,” said Mark.

As for the future (perhaps inspired by the pandemic), Rhemac Motors is focussed on change: “If our business isn’t looking to the future and changing to adapt, then the future will pass us by.”

MTA CEO Paul Unerkov awarding Rhemac Motors with their 50-Year MTA Membership Certificate.