Collision Repair 5#1
GEORGE BRICK, LES HESHKA
EASTSIDE GROUP
Eastside Group now employs more than 200 employees and is composed of five different businesses: Eastside Industrial Coatings & Composites, Eastside Heavy Truck Collision, Eastside Collision Repairs Moray Autobody and Zone Refinish. George Brick, the owner, also retired eight years ago. However, Les Heshka, is still the general manager and George’s son’s Chad and Matt are now involved in the business too.
When asked: what is your proudest moment since the business was last featured on the cover? Heshka replied: “I don’t know if there was a moment, but it was sort of an evolution as the shop grew and how we ended up with really good dedicated employees on both the Office and Technician side along with the Eastside Brand earning a high level reputation for Quality of Repairs & a Friendly Atmosphere.”
With a great team behind him, Les says Eastside Collision is ready to take on whatever the future of the industry may hold. “In the future I see shops having to invest heavily & specialize in certain Brands & not being able to tackle numerous OEM’S as they do now,” says Les.
Collision Repair 5#2
MARTY AND CHRIS REDDICK
SUPREME COLLISION CENTRE
Since its inception in 1963, Supreme Collision has always been ahead of its time. Founded by Bernie Reddick—who started the very fi rst auto body franchise in Canada—Supreme Collision has expanded four times over since its start in Aurora, Ontario, and still touts family ties, run under the leadership of Marty and Chris Reddick.
Supreme Collision’s most recent expansion occurred in 2019, when the company acquired a former banjo factory and transformed it into a state-of-the-art collision centre.The 10,000 sq. ft. workshop’s layout is designed in a step-by-step “U” shape developed by brothers Marty and Chris Reddick. Not only does the staging ground allow for the effi cient completion of work, but it also allows for the facility to reduce its carbon emissions.
“We’ve got all of the vehicles on a rail system, meaning they can go through every step of the repair process without driving. It is a huge carbon saving,” said Chris. “We have other equipment to reduce toxic chemical emissions that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.”
The Reddick brothers pride their business on utilizing the most advanced technology and innovative equipment to follow OEM procedures and provide outstanding repairs for all makes and models.
“It is important for us to emphasize training,” Marty told Collision Repair at the 2019 shop opening. “That is why we make sure the whole team gets Platinum-level certifi cations.”
Collision Repair 5#3
TAYLOR SUN
CONTEMPORARY COACHWORKS
From day one, Contemporary Coachworks has been committed to providing honest and accurate repairs. And that commitment has paid off. Today, the company employs more than 60 individuals operating from two separate 15,000 square-foot facilities. Taylor Sun, owner of Contemporary Coachworks says a great deal of the business’s success can be boiled down to obtaining certifications.
“Our business has been built on a foundation of excellence and ethical business practices. We strive to provide the highest-quality repair for our customers. Our state-of-the-art facility and certified technicians give us the ability to achieve this Certified status.” “Our vision is to continuously improve the standards of excellence within the auto body industry.”
Collision Repair 5#5
SAM SCARPELLI
EXCLUSIVE COLLISION
Sam Scarpelli is a man that knows the business of collision repair. When his facility made the move from mechanical repair to bodywork in the mid-90s, Scarpelli never looked back. As a veteran of the mechanical side of repair, Scarpelli was able to weigh the pros and cons in making this transition and made note of a certain unique quality that the collision industry possesses.
“As a mechanic, your long-time customers want to deal with you specifi cally no one else,” Scarpelli said in his November 2006 interview with Collision Repair. “Customers who come to you for collision repair want to know that you have a good shop and that the technicians and painters well-trained and up-to-date, but they don’t expect a particular tech to always be the one to work on their car. I found it to be more practical to be in collision repair as I got older.” Scarpelli spoke toward the value of a life as a collision repair tradesperson, in terms that sound all too familiar.
“You really have to promote collision repair as being both a long-term trade and one that is well paid,” he said. “It’s not being presented right. To be a licensed tech of any kind you need a lot of knowledge and that is something that is not often appreciated.”
Collision Repair 5#6
BERNHARD RUBBERT
FALSE CREEK COLLISION
Since last being on the cover, Bernhard Rubbert moved his Vancouver-based collision repair shop, False Creek Collision, to Burnaby in 2010 and later sold it in 2018. Looking back on his career, he is extremely proud to be able to create real change in Canada.
“In the beginning of 2006, I found out that nobody in the Western Canada area knew about water-based paints for the automotive refinish industry,” said Rubbert. “So, when I took over the business in Vancouver, that was my first step. I was the first body shop in Western Canada with water-based paints.” Not only was he able to bring this new technology over, but it upgraded the automotive industry to become more environmentally conscious.
“We had a big problem at that time with the volatile organic compounds (VOC), which stays in the atmosphere and destroys our air. We needed to do something, and the waterborne technology was a big jump forward.”
Now Rubbert is happily retired and lives with his wife in Germany.
