contents 5
Welcome from Stephen Dutton
6
Pirtek’s Townsville cricketers meet our World Champion
7
Pirtek Ranked 64th in Top 200
8
Stephen Dutton’s vision for Pirtek
10
Adrenalin Charged Day for Prize winners
12
Pirtek Fishing Challenge results and photos
14
Pirtek Malaga Shines!
15
Family affair in Geraldton
16
FLUID slips in with the Pirtek Parramatta Eels
18
Bathurst winner joins Pirtek
19
Casey Stoner continues his V8 Supercar development
21
We get down and dirty in WA
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
03
COVER In this edition of Pirtek FLUID Magazine, we catch up with new Australian CEO, Stephen Dutton and check in with a number of Pirtek franchisees and their activities. It’s been busy all over Australia again this quarter. The guys at Pirtek Malaga have been out and about with a valuable community initiative they support getting coverage on Perth’s well known and respected Telethon, whilst we’ve added a Bathurst Champion to Team Pirtek.
04
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2012 I www.pirtek.com.au
Welcome Hi all, The last three months has been an incredibly exciting time for Pirtek despite difficult conditions seen in the Australian economy. The Pirtek franchise network continues to soar, kicking major goals for not only the company, but also for their local communities, as you will see throughout this issue of FLUID. We welcome a Bathurst Champion and exciting young talent in Nick Percat to our motor racing family that includes another world-ranked competitor in Casey Stoner. You will read about all of those competitors in this issue of the magazine. Our association with the Parramatta Eels, whilst it will come to an end from a naming rights perspective at the completion of 2013, continues to be a focus point of everyone at Pirtek and it gives a strong foothold in the community. The Eels, through the success of the Johnny Mannah Cup memorial game and the subsequent charity auction continue to do great work and recently, they took a game out to Mudgee. Our Pirtek representatives in Mudgee and their customers enjoyed seeing the Eels play live in their own back yard despite the outcome not being the one that we wanted. At the time of writing the Eels Holden Cup squad are locked in a battle to make it into the top eight and we wish them all the success over the coming weeks. On a personal level, moving into the position of Pirtek’s CEO has been a big change and one that I’ve enjoyed to date. The challenges we face on a daily basis are strong and aren’t going anywhere, so we have to continually be creative and forthright in how we meet those challenges placed in front of us. I cannot express how overwhelmed I’ve been with support from the Pirtek family at every single level, it’s been very humbling. Over the next three months, we aim to continue the forward movement for the company. We ask that you keep spreading the good work and the good name of Pirtek throughout your local community. The resources are there to assist if you need help or guidance, please always ask if this is the case. Until next time,
Stephen Dutton Chief Executive Officer Pirtek Fluid Systems Pty Ltd
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
05
TOWNSVILLE CRICKETERS GET SPECIAL VISIT T
he Pirtek Townsville Northern Beaches Cricket Club has been at the forefront of the new Townsville Women’s cricket competition this winter (held in winter due to the summer heat and rain) and we took our motor racing experts to the nets for a bit of cross training. Casey Stoner and Nick Percat were in Townsville for the V8 Supercars Sucrogen Townsville 400, where Stoner was in the Dunlop V8 Supercars Series and Percat the Porsche Carrera Cup Championship waving the Pirtek flag. Whilst showing some form wielding the willow, Stoner says cricket is something that he enjoys, but will not be giving Michael Clarke and the boys a run for their money any time soon.
06
“Under zero,” he laughed when rated his cricketing talent. “I probably haven’t held a cricket bat since I was nine or 10. The speed those guys bowl the ball is incredible...and I know how much a six stitcher hurts when it hits you!” The visit came on the eve of the finals for the Townsville Women’s Cricket Association, President of the Pirtek Northern Beaches Barras, Paul Sichter welcomed Stoner and Percat and reflected on the importance of Pirtek’s involvement in his club. “It’s a great opportunity to promote our club with some other Pirtek athletes,” said Sichter. “Especially when one of those is Casey Stoner. One of our members in fact named his son after Casey.
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
“Pirtek is a great supporter of grassroots sport and community activities right around Australia and we’re proud to have them on board our program. “It is the first year that a well organised women’s cricket competition has been run here in Townsville and we’re hopeful that through the support of Pirtek and having the likes of Casey and Nick visit our club that it will build profile for the sport and bring some new competitors, especially juniors on board.” View video of Stoner and Percat’s form in the nets here: http://bit.ly/11iJO0A
PIRTEK RANKED 64TH IN TOP 200 GLOBAL FRANCHISE SYSTEMS PIRTEK has been ranked 64th in the world’s top 200 global franchise systems by influential US publication, Entrepreneur Magazine. The ratings that contribute to the annual Top 200 from Entrepreneur Magazine are generated by a formula that takes into account numerous elements including growth, financial strength and additional weightings around international development. “Since PIRTEK’s establishment in 1980, the focus has been to grow the business whilst also being at the cutting edge of technology and
product innovation,” said Executive Director, Glenn Duncan.
then adjusted it to give extra weight to international size and growth.”
“We’ve always focused on delivering the best products and service to our customers whilst maintaining corporate integrity.”
The ranking by Entrepreneur vindicates the recent structural changes at PIRTEK to expand on the international footprint of the company.
Entrepreneur Magazine’s Tracey Stapp explained how the ratings were calculated.
In the franchise world, being established for 33 years, PIRTEK is competing against many brands that have been established for far longer. Incidentally, the Top 10 of the 2013 Top 200 franchise systems on the Entrepreneur Magazine list were Hampton Hotels, Subway, Jiffy Lube, 7-Eleven, Supercuts, Anytime Fitness, Servpro, Denny’s, McDonald’s and Pizza Hut.
“In order to compile this ranking, Entrepreneur takes each company’s 2013 Franchise 500® score,” said Ms. Stapp. “This is based on objective, quantifiable criteria such as system size, growth, and financial strength and stability -
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
07
INTERVIEW: STEPHEN DUTTON T
hree months ago, Pirtek underwent a significant change in appointing Stephen Dutton as its Chief Executive Officer. The 19 year veteran of Pirtek replaced Glenn Duncan, who retains his place on the board, but will spearhead an aggressive expansion plan for the company. What are Mr. Dutton’s goals? What makes him tick? And how does he plan to attack the challenges that the business is currently facing? FLUID caught up with the new CEO for a chat...
not much of a change looking from the outside in. Generally, we have the same people internally, however they have been allocated additional responsibilities and authorities to perform the functions to the level required to ensure ongoing growth and success of the Pirtek business overall. It has been a busy transition for me and allowing the changes to play out, but the first quarter has been strong and incredibly rewarding.
everyone within the national office and the entire franchise network throughout my Pirtek life and I’m extremely grateful and thankful to everyone that has helped me to achieve what I personally have. When I joined Pirtek, I saw it as an attractive, solid, ‘can-do’ company. In fact I had used the services of Pirtek in my business life prior to joining the company therefore I felt very comfortable with the business even before I joined.
FLUID: You are now three months into the new role of CEO, how are you finding the change?
FLUID: You started at Pirtek in 1994. Did you ever believe you’d be in this position today and what brought you to Pirtek in the first place?
Stephen Dutton: At this stage the changes have been more of a subtle nature as we continue to realign certain functions and processes within the business from a structural sense, so realistically
SD: Starting life in the company as an Area Sales Manager in Brisbane, I’d never have thought I would be, 19 years later, the CEO of the company. I’ve had a tremendous amount of support from the Duncan family,
FLUID: The disruption that comes about through change is sometimes a cause for concern to stakeholders in large organisations like Pirtek. What assurances can you give franchisees and customers that things will continue to improve under your stewardship?
08
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
SD: We’re all absolutely committed to building the future of Pirtek and
maintaining the strength of the brand while continuing to expand our product and services portfolio. Whilst some of our key markets are experiencing challenging times, I’m confident that collectively we’ll be able to navigate the business successfully through the changing dynamics that confront us. The strength and enormous amount of experience of the franchise network is the essence and backbone of Pirtek and I firmly believe we have one of the strongest franchise bases not only in Australia but in the world. On a daily basis, the ingenuity and the service aspect of our franchise business system never ceases to impress and surprise us as well as our loyal customers. We need to constantly build and harness that ingenuity and levels of service to ensure we all grow together. FLUID: Australian businesses, particularly small businesses like Pirtek franchises, are in a difficult economic phase at the moment, what are some of the biggest challenges that face Pirtek as an organisation right now? SD: Without doubt the economy is showing signs of volatility, particularly in the economic engine room, mining. Additionally the domestic parts of the economy are in interesting phases. At Pirtek we see these challenges as drivers to hone and refine our products and services offerings. We explore and develop new ways to add value to our markets by delivering benefits such as cost savings initiatives and the latest new age technology relating to hose and fittings. FLUID: The implementation of new technologies have been a major step forward for Pirtek over the last 2-3 years. Are there other areas of innovation that Pirtek has earmaked as the “next frontier” to grow the business? SD: We cannot rest on our laurels at any level. We have to innovate and be at the forefront of technology or we’ll be left behind. We are currently implementing a major IT infrastructure project which will deliver new technology to the franchise group by early 2014. This new technology will allow our entire Mobile Service Fleet to operate in a real time scenario. This programme
will deliver direct benefits to both the customers and the business model with improvements in inventory management and service work reporting. We have also recently completed a significant upgrade to our global inventory forecasting system that is fully integrated into our supply chain system thus ensuring we have the right product in the right location, every time the customer needs it. We will continue to improve our online offering for franchisees and customers, whilst also looking for ways that can improve our efficiency that Pirtek is so well known for. FLUID: We’re at the end of another financial year, what do you see as being the major achievements of Pirtek as a collective in 2012/2013? SD: As a collective, we’ve improved many of the systems I was just referring to. We have also expanded our locations to 94 Service and Supply Centres nationally. During 2012/13 we aggressively grew our Mobile Service Unit fleet from 320 units to over 350 units across Australia. The move for me to CEO will also allow Glenn Duncan to investigate and develop new markets/regions for the Pirtek brand. International expansion opportunities to add to those which are strong in many parts of the world will be a key strategy for Pirtek. FLUID: Central to Pirtek’s culture across every level of the business is family and community support. SD: Each and every one of the 800+ people in Pirtek are particularly proud of Pirtek’s achievements for our community based programmes. Everyone in Pirtek will never lose sight of the backbone of the Australian way of life is to be able to help those in need of some assistance. This is something that we’ve been working hard to do and improve over the last two to three years. We’re in a wonderful position that we have an incredibly enthusiastic group of franchisees and staff that support so many programmes and initiatives within their local communities. Overall, the message I would deliver to the company about community activities and sponsorships is - don’t be shy! FLUID: In September, Pirtek ends a long association as naming rights
partner of the Parramatta Eels. Whilst there will be many that are sad to see this come to a conclusion, there are many other exciting ways Pirtek is connected with sporting heroes on a national basis. SD: Absolutely, we’ve taken a huge step forward in this area over the last 12 months. To be associated with an Australian icon Casey Stoner and his quest in a completely new sport (V8 Supercars) is incredibly exciting and has delivered worldwide exposure to Pirtek. Looking across our involvement in a number of sports such as athletics via Pirtek Athletic Allstars, it is exciting to see young talent coming through the ranks with their goal to represent Australia in Rio is tremendous. For us, looking at many of the grassroots involvements that our franchisees have - from junior motocross, to cricket and dance troupes even - is just as exciting. It shows the true diversity of us as an organisation and our franchisee base. FLUID: In conclusion, can you crystal ball to May 1, 2014, when you’ve been in the job 12 months - what do you hope to have achieved? SD: As we’ve mentioned, our organisation isn’t without it’s challenges in the current business environment. Clearly we will strive to continue maintaining and building on Pirtek’s position as the market leader in Fluid Transfer Solutions. We will continue improving our service delivery to our franchise group therefore ultimately the end customer. We have an aggressive plan to introduce a whole new suite of products and specialty services to ensure that the market views, and most importantly engages Pirtek as a full service provider, not just a hose and fittings supplier! From a community aspect, we will work harder at being at the forefront of community activities, increase our involvement with organisations such as the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and encourage our franchisees to invest into the community. If we can continue to achieve all of that and even a few surprises along the way, reflecting back in 12 months’ time in this role, I will consider that we are on the way to success, but there will always be more to be done!
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
09
ADRENALIN CHARGED DAY FOR PRIZE WINNERS A
number of prize winners from Pirtek’s Facebook page were given the ride of a lifetime at The Driving Centre on the Gold Coast recently as part of Pirtek’s support of Red Bull Racing Australia’s V8 Supercars team.
Queensland State Manager of Pirtek, Paul Dutton.
The winners - Dylan Carroll, Simon Forster, Rebecca Barnes, Simon Nicholls, Colin Millbank, Todd Brennan, Steve Snell, Mark Perry - were joined by
A further two events will be held at Sydney Motorsport Park on August 6 and in Melbourne at Calder Park on September 16.
10
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
They went through a series of challenges, including karting before being taken for a ride with V8 Supercars Champion Craig Lowndes.
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
11
The Pirtek Fishing Challenge was once again a huge success. Since the last issue of FLUID Magazine, where we unveiled that the 7530 anglers raised $150,000 $130,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, the tallies have been submitted and the winner’s crowned. A full list of the prizes for each category is as follows: The Prize pool for each of the 14 target species across NSW, ACT, NT, Queensland, Victoria, Northern Western Australia and the Murray Darling Basin: Mystery Length 1st Prize 2nd Prize 3rd Prize 4th Prize 1st Junior 2nd Junior
$4000 cash $1100 prize pack pack, courtesy of Lowrance and Roman Camping $600 prize pack, courtesy of Berkley and Roman Camping $400 prize pack, courtesy of Berkley $300 BLA e-voucher $400 BCF gift voucher $200 BCF gift voucher
Prize pool for each of the 6 target species across Tasmania, South Australia and Southern Western Australia: Mystery Length 1st Prize 2nd Prize 3rd Prize 4th Prize 1st Junior 2nd Junior
$2000 cash $550 prize pack pack, courtesy of Lowrance and Roman Camping $300 prize pack, courtesy of Berkley and Roman Camping $200 prize pack, courtesy of Berkley $150 BLA e-voucher $200 BCF gift voucher $100 BCF gift voucher
Jason Szkwarek VIC Bream 1st Jason Price Murray Darling European Carp 1st
Ben White WA Bream 1st
Malcolm Garwood TAS Brown Trout 3rd
12
FLUID MAGAZINE june JUNE 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
The winners winner’s in each category are as follows (size and suburb in brackets). For the full prize winner’s list head to www.pirtekfishingchallenge.com.au and click on your relevant area. NSW/ACT - Bass 1st - Ky Hallinan (48cm - Eden) Junior - Nelson Ivanoff (43.5cm Jamberoo)
Queensland - Whiting 1st - Rob Fay (43cm - Redland Bay) Junior - Rebecca Clarke (36.2cm Oxenford)
WA (South) - Australian Salmon 1st - Donald Smith (80cm Denmark) Junior - Not won
NSW/ACT - Bream 1st - Peter Godfrey (42cm - Oatley) Junior - William Markham (41.7cm Tea Gardens)
South Australia - Australian Salmon 1st - Alister Geering (38.9cm Lucindale) Junior - Not won
NSW/ACT - Flathead 1st - Edward Nicholson (97.2cm Horsley) Junior - Tyler Walkey (87cm Morisset)
South Australia - King George Whiting 1st - Alan Liddell (54.8cm - Windsor Gardens) Junior - Jacob Wilkins (48.8cm Tumby Bay)
WA (South) - Bream - black/ yellowfin 1st - Ben White (38.2cm - Australind) Junior - Jack Robinson (35cm Newmerella)
NSW/ACT - Whiting 1st - Rick Crocker (43.3cm - Lake Cathie) Junior - Travis North (40.1cm - St Marys) Murray Darling Basin - European Carp 1st - Jason Price (80.4cm Ngunnawal) Junior - Dillan Webber (79cm Cootamundra) Murray Darling Basin - Golden Perch 1st - David Ammerlaan (61.6cm Gruyere) Junior - Tui Fraser (46.6cm Pittsworth) Murray Darling Basin - Red Fin 1st - Tony Stibbard (48.5cm - Glen Innes) Junior - Brandon Allen (44cm Tumut)
WA (North) - Spangled Emperor/ Norwest Snapper 1st - Troy Cotter (64cm - Wickham) Junior - Not Won On The Water Prize Draw Winners: 1st - Melanie Wells (Worrigee, NSW) 2nd - Damien Ellison (St Clair, NSW) 3rd - Joan Fitzsimons (Bonny Hills, NSW) 4th - Kevin Garton (Raymond Terrace, NSW) 5th - Jarrod Rowe (Gladstone, Qld) 6th - Ryan Pitts (Ararat, Vic)
Tasmania - Flathead 1st - Matthew Brooks (60.3cm Latrobe) Junior - Adam O’Bryan (53.9cm Ashmore) Tasmania - Brown Trout 1st - Benjamin Allan (61cm Glengarry) Junior - Not won Victoria - Bream 1st - Jason Szwarek (42.9cm Hazelwood North) Junior - Nikita Farley (42cm - Orbost) Victoria - Flathead 1st - Ramon Voronov (73.3cm Narre Warren) Junior - Jack Stockdale (56cm Koonwarra)
Nick Day VIC Bream 2nd Jnr.
Northern Territory - Barramundi 1st - John Clarke (94.2cm Maningrida) Junior - James Arratta (80cm Wagait Beach) Queensland - Barramundi 1st - Peter Stallard (119cm Townsville) Junior - Justin Blackmur (105.3cm Ooralea) Queensland - Flathead 1st - Tyron Clark (87cm - Helensvale) Junior - Joshua Fitzpatrick (68cm Wellington Point)
FLUID MAGAZINE june JUNE 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
13
PIRTEK MALAGA PUTS SMILES ON KID’S FACES J
ason Hogan and his Pirtek franchise at Malaga in Western Australia has been actively supporting its local community with the sponsorship of dance studio; Sparkle and Shine which teaches dancing for people with special needs. Brianna Wimbridge, Principal of Sparkle & Shine told FLUID magazine the importance of the support from Pirtek and how it benefits the students. “Sparkle & Shine has been running for four years and involves any child that has special needs. We don’t limit ourselves to any particular area and our students range from four up to early 30s. “We teach jazz, tap, ballet and hip hop, the kids love it and really get to express themselves. They feel as though they’re in their own world and they get to do what they want. It’s just amazing to see them all break out of their shell and they develop so much confidence in themselves. “We perform shows for charities and have performed at the Channel 7 Telethon.
“Sparkle and Shine is my dance studio which I started after another studio I worked at had to close down and a number of people asked me about opening my own.” Brianna spoke of the importance of Pirtek Malaga’s involvement in the studio. “Pirtek Malaga has been an amazing supporter of Sparkle and Shine for the past three years now and their money goes towards buying costumes and props that are used on stage and in the shows. Pirtek’s assistance helps the parents as in general they have many other expenses.” Sparkle and Shine is more than just a community assistance outlet for Jason Hogan from Pirtek Malaga. “We got involved because my wife was taking my daughter to the classes, as we figured it was a good opportunity to get her into something group related. “Kids with special needs like autism find it difficult to relate to other kids, so it was an opportunity for us to introduce our daughter to a group environment, which she took to like a duck to water. My wife takes her every week and is dedicated to ensure she doesn’t miss her dance group. “Through our involvement with both our daughter and the business, our niece is involved as a volunteer to assist the kids on stage and keep them on the right track when performing. “Supporting Sparkle and Shine is important to me as it’s close to my heart and I get a great delight out of
14
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
doing something and watching the smiles on the kids faces at the concert. “It inspires me to realise that the problems I experience daily pale into insignificance compared to what these kids do. It just motivates me to do the best I can with my life as well. “All of this makes the sponsorship dollars well worth it and as a company its something that Pirtek loves to do, putting back into the community and there’s no better way of doing it, than putting smiles on kids faces.” The group from Sparkle and Shine will again audition for the Telethon that raises money for the Princess Margaret Hospital, which is due to be held in October.
KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY IN GERALDTON O
ne thing we constantly talk about at Pirtek is the family aspect of the company. We like to see ourselves as one big family and will back each other when the chips are down. The guys at Pirtek Geraldton take that family approach one step further. Owned by Shane McDonnell and his wife, the pair have no less than three couples that work in the franchise. Shane has been a long time Pirtek man, starting out in Queensland as an employee of the company and then took on his own franchise when the opportunity arose in Geraldton. So successful has Shane been in engaging the local community in Western Australia, earlier this year he was nominated for the Mid West Business Excellence Award for the Best Customer Service by a Business. On a personal level, Shane was nominated for the Best Customer Service by an Individual Award at the same event. Whilst he didn’t win the Awards, Shane was honoured that Pirtek Geraldton was chosen and put up for the Awards with many other successful local businesses in the competition.
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
15
EELS HIT MUDGEE I
n late May, the Pirtek Eels took the NRL message to the rural New South Wales town of Mudgee, around four hours from Sydney. The week was packed with activities from a corporate golf day with many of the Eels partners to an open training session for the local youth.
16
The infamous “Male Model from Mudgee”, Channel Nine’s Ken Sutcliffe joined coach Ricky Stuart at a special corporate dinner, whilst many of the Eels’ corporate partners took the opportunity to spend the weekend in the wine district lapping up all the football action and associated activities.
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
A capacity crowd packed McCredie Oval in Mudgee to see first class Rugby League, however the result wasn’t what the Pirtek Eels were hoping for, going down to a determined Titans outfit.
SLIPPERY BITS CEO DEPARTS The Eels CEO Ken Edwards has vacated his position at the club. He will be replaced in the interim by Matt Phelan. Whilst the broad search for a CEO is on, Phelan moves into the interim role having been the General Manager of Operations for the Pirtek Eels. Last year, he was a Venue Operations Manager for the London Olympics and Paralympics, prior to that he was General Manager of Operations for the A-League. TWO KEY RE-SIGNINGS Mitchell Allgood and Ryan Morgan have re-signed with the Pirtek Eels until the end of the 2015 season. The pair of 23 year olds are local area Juniors, with Allgood an ambassador for Blacktown PCYC and Morgan having grown up in Greystanes and playing an ambassadorial role for Greystanes Rugby League. “I’ll be honest I never considered playing anywhere else other than the Eels, this is home to me,” said Allgood - who made his representative debut for City Origin this year. “I believe in what we are building here at Parramatta both on and off the field and feel very privileged to be a part of it.”
EELS’ CALENDAR After a challenging season, the Eels will have a tough run home to round out Pirtek’s final season with the Club. We wish Ricky Stuart and the team the best of luck for the remainder of the season!
Rd
Opposition
Venue (Home=H, Away=A)
Date
Time
21
Manly Sea Eagles
Parramatta Stadium (H)
Sat Aug 3
5:30pm
22
Wests Tigers Parramatta Stadium (H)
Fri Aug 9
7:35pm
23
Brisbane Broncos
Suncorp Stadium (A) Fri Aug 16
7:35pm
24
Melbourne Storm
AAMI Park (A)
Sun Aug 25
3:00pm
25
St GeorgeIllawarra
ANZ Stadium (H)
Mon Sep 2
7:00pm
26
Newcastle Knights
Hunter Stadium (A)
Sun Sep 8
3:00pm
*NB: Final six rounds of the 2013 NRL Season were to be scheduled dependent on run into semi-finals.
FOR ALL THE LATEST EELS NEWS To keep up with everything blue and gold on and off the pitch in relation to the Pirtek Parramatta Eels, videos and photos of the stars, check out www.parraeels.com.au. Sign up for the Eels Insider Newsletter. HOW’S YOUR TIPS? Each week Pirtek Eels legend, Nathan Hindmarsh records a video especially for all the Eels fans with his tips for the round. Why not take the advice of the expert? Hindy’s tips are uploaded each week to the Pirtek Facebook Page. You can get your tips in each week via http://tipping.pirtek.com.au, with some great prizes still up for grabs.
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
17
Nick Percat (right) joins team Pirtek for the rest of 2013, he shared his drive with Rod Jane in Sydney...
BATHURST 1000 WINNER JOINS TEAM PIRTEK P irtek has extended its sporting portfolio by joining forces with 2011 Bathurst 1000 winner, Nick Percat for his 2013 campaign in the Porsche Carrera Cup Championship - and it instantly struck success. Percat has been full time in the single-make Championship for Type 997 GT3 Porsche machines since the beginning of 2013 and in the first event partnered with Pirtek round three of the Championship - he won the opening race and finished third overall for the event. The event was an all-Porsche festival at Sydney Motorsport Park called Rennsport and featured a
18
two driver format in Carrera Cup. Percat joined forces with Porsche specialist, Rodney Jane in his 150th Cup Car race start.
support a young rising star in Nick Percat. We also get to partner with long time business associates in Coates Hire.”
For Pirtek, it is the opportunity to extend its association with motorsport and young Australian sportspeople, as well as extend a long standing business relationship with major sponsor, Coates Hire.
Percat was extremely happy to welcome a new supporter on board his campaign.
In making the announcement, Rod Chapman, General Manager of Sales and Marketing at Pirtek said:
“It’s great to have another major Australian corporation like Pirtek supporting us alongside Coates Hire and Morris Finance,” Percat added. “We’ve got some really good backing and I couldn’t be happier.”
“We are thrilled to be in a position to continue our association with motorsport and more importantly excited at the opportunity to
Percat joins Casey Stoner, the Parramatta Eels and the Pirtek Athletic All Stars as Pirtek’s leading sports partnerships.
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
MEET NICK PERCAT Age: 24 Born: Adelaide Lives: Melbourne Status: Girlfriend, Briony Children: None Achievements: - 2011 Bathurst 1000 Champion (on debut with Garth Tander Holden Racing Team) - 2010 & 2012 4th in V8 Supercars Development Series - 2009 Australian Formula Ford Champion - 2005 South Australian Formula Ford Champion Graduating from karting, Nick Percat spent a number of years in Formula Ford, culminating in an Australian Championship in 2009. With backing from Walkinshaw Performance and mentoring from V8 Supercars Champion, Garth Tander, he moved into the V8 Supercars Development Series in 2010. In 2011, with a year under his belt, the youngster was given the chance of a lifetime - to drive for Holden Racing Team with Tander at Bathurst. He instantly held an affinity with the Mountain, the pair winning in spectacular fashion - Percat becoming the first driver in over 30 years to win on debut at Bathurst. In 2012, he continued in the Development Series before 2013 moving to Porsche Carrera Cup with the support of long time backer, Coates Hire. He quickly adapted to the precision German machine, setting pole position at the first two rounds of the Championship. PORSCHE CARRERA CUP AUSTRALIA - UPCOMING ROUNDS Round 5 Aug 23-25 Winton, VIC Round 6 Oct 10-13 Bathurst, NSW Round 7 Oct 25-27 Gold Coast, QLD
Casey Stoner continued his development in V8 Supercars
STONER CONTINUES FOUR WHEELED DEVELOPMENT Casey Stoner’s initiation into V8 Supercars continued at Barbagallo Raceway in Perth and Reid Park in Townsville aboard his Pirtekbacked Red Bull Racing Australia Commodore. After starting up towards the front of the 30 car field in Perth, he was eliminated in Saturday’s first race on the first lap after colliding with another car that had been involved in a turn one skirmish. Starting from 21st for the second race, he was on track to move through the field before being pushed wide, he was able to finish where he started and then in the third race he made up a single position to finish 20th. “It’s honestly just quality time in the car I need,” said Stoner. “This was only our fifth time in the car this year and in any car really. So it’s a matter of trying to learn and manage race situations a little bit better. Hopefully we can do a little bit of a better job next time.”
Townsville saw improvement from Stoner. The tough street circuit was more to Stoner’s liking, however a puncture during Saturday’s first race hampered his progress seeing him finish the race, albeit at the back of the pack. In the second race, he made up a phenomenal 15 positions to finish in 14th and then in the final race advanced to 12th. Townsville was the first - and only time this year - that the Dunlop Series was on the softer V8 Supercar rubber and it was a bruising encounter.
A small skirmish is all part of the learning experience
DUNLOP V8 SUPERCAR SERIES - UPCOMING ROUNDS: Rd 5 6 7
Date Aug 23-25 Oct 10-13 Nov 29-Dec 1
Location Winton, Benalla, VIC Mount Panorama, Bathurst, NSW Sydney Olympic Park,Homebush, NSW FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
19
OUCH! We feel for young Pirtek Geraldton-backed West Aussie, Conan Forrester who fractured four vertebrae in a motocross practice accident. He came off his bike at speed and will miss the remainder of the 2013 season. Everyone at Pirtek wishes Conan a speedy recovery.
ATHLETIC ALL STAR AIMS FOR RIO Pirtek Athletic All Star, Jarrod Geddes is firmly in preparation to become Australia’s lead representative in the 100 metres at the next Olympics in Rio. 19-year-old Geddes is putting everything behind becoming the fastest Australian of all time. That’s not a boisterous claim - Geddes’ Personal Best - 10.37 seconds is faster than many leading Olympians at the very same age! Jarrod has been selected in his first national senior team for the World Championships that will be held in Moscow, Russia between August 10 and 18, where he will form part of the 4 x 100m relay squad.
GUESTY GETTING INTO THE REEL ACTION! Hanging out for a bit of fishing on telly? Catch our resident fishing expert, Michael Guest on Monday nights on the Aurora Channel (Ch. 183) from 8:30pm in his latest show, called Reel Action! If you missed it, look up the Michael Guest Fishing page on Facebook, he’ll be placing some clips up there.
WHAT’S DOING IN PIRTEK LAND? To keep pace with the latest in the land of Pirtek and our franchisees, hit up our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/pirtek. There are a whole host of interesting facts about the Pirtek Family, along with new photos, stories and competitions from many of our sponsor partners. Post your picture and story or a link to the Facebook page and we can share it with the Family for you!
20
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
Franchise Focus - WA WA GOES 4x4ing A number of West Australian franchisees have got together to support a 4x4 Challenge that was held at the end of June known as the Pirtek WA Extreme 4x4 Challenge. The Challenge saw four-wheel drivers from all over the state converge on a property outside Perth. Competitors went through a full range of stages to test their ability against the stopwatch and the winter elements.
together and could see the benefit of Pirtek being involved in this event.
“It gives Pirtek more exposure into a market that fits well with us. It allows us to be in a controlled and relaxed environment with our customers and potential customers and spread the Pirtek message.”
The good news is that Pirtek has agreed to be on board in 2014 and will continue with the development of the event. Sounds like fun - to check out the action, here’s a video from the event this year: http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=RdC_kIIemk
Various activities such as time trials, mud trials and terrain challenges ensured that entrants were kept on their toes. “It’s a home grown challenge for us here in WA and a client approved competition,” explained Jason Hogan from Pirtek Malaga, who motivated the company’s involvement. “A few of us got
FLUID MAGAZINE june 2013 I www.pirtek.com.au
21
facebook.com/Pirtek