Bodyshop Magazine celebrated the best and brightest in the UK collision repair industry at the Bodyshop Awards 2023 last week (28 September) with the most respected and prestigious prize-giving event in the sector now in its 27th year.
After months of debate, jury deliberation and online and in-person hands-on testing, 18 independent awards were handed out to individuals and organisations from across the UK body repair and refinish sector, including apprentices and senior technicians, assessors, work providers, vehicle manufacturers, educators, and bodyshops of all sizes.
Before the Awards got under way at the NEC’s Hilton Birmingham Metropole, Bodyshop Magazine hosted its daytime Bodyshop of the Future Expo, followed by the magazine’s all-important 30 Under 30: Rising Stars in partnership with 3M, which honoured and celebrated the industry’s young talent on the big stage.
Among the many notable highlights at the Bodyshop Awards 2023, which were hosted by renowned Formula One commentator and journalist David “Crofty” Croft, was just how close the judging and the practical assessments were across several categories, with multiple Highly Commended trophies presented by the judging panel.
One of the biggest prizes on the night – Bodyshop Magazine’s Bodyshop Manager of the Year 2023 – was won by The Vella Group’s Emilio Hebaiter (above centre with Crofty and Bodyshop editor Simon Wait).
The panel and paint technician awards were both closely fought battles with Richard Evans of Evans Auto Bodies in Aylesbury taking the Powered by Vizion – Bodyshop Remit Panel Technician of the Year award, and Tomas Evans from iRG in Merthyr Tydfil winning the Powered by Vizion – Bodyshop Remit Paint Technician of the Year category.
Tight battles were also seen in the apprentice categories, with Ieuan Morris-Brown of iRG in Cardiff winning the Powered by Vizion – Bodyshop Remit Panel Apprentice of the Year award, and Jamie Downing from UK Select in Ross-on-Wye taking the Powered by Vizion – Bodyshop Remit Paint Apprentice of the Year category.
Andy Goldsmith-Ryan from Devonshire Motors in Barnstaple was the winner of Bodyshop Magazine’s Powered by asTech – Bodyshop Thatcham Advanced Technologies Technician of the Year award, and Joe Heritage from Fix Auto Uxbridge took the Powered by IAEA – Bodyshop Thatcham VDA of the Year category.
Bodyshop Magazine editor Simon Wait said: “We are extremely grateful to all of our Bodyshop Awards & Expo 2023 partners for helping to make the event such a triumph again this year. Our special thanks go to Platinum Partners 3M, Axalta, Enterprise, Repairify, and Vizion Network; Gold Partners AkzoNobel, BASF, CAPS, IAEA, Kapci Coatings, Nationwide Vehicle Recovery Assistance, Remit Training, Thatcham Research, and UK Garage & Bodyshop Event 2024; and Silver Partners ALLDATA, Entegral, Garage Equipment Solutions, GYS, INDASA, Keco, Morelli, PartsXchange, ProXL, SATA, and Walcom.
“Thanks also to our 30 Under 30 partners 3M, to CAPS for the welcome drinks reception, to Vizion for the Gin Bar sponsorship; to Prasco UK for supplying panels, and Axalta and 3M for competition paint and consumables used during the hands-on technician assessments at Remit.
“Nominations for the 2024 Bodyshop Awards and 30 Under 30 competition will open on 1 December 2023 and run until 31 March 2024. We had a record number of entries this year across all competitions and all categories, and we expect to smash that again in the coming months. Please visit bodyshopmag.com to find out more,” he added.
To read about the success of Bodyshop Magazine’s reimagined Bodyshop of the Future Expo, which took place during the day, ahead of the black-tie evening Awards celebration, don’t miss the November issue of Bodyshop Magazine.
Bodyshop Awards 2023 winners
Bodyshop Magazine’s Bodyshop Manager of the Year 2023
- Bodyshop Manager of the Year – Emilio Hebaiter | The Vella Group | Liverpool
Powered by Vizion – Bodyshop Remit Apprentice & Technician Awards 2023
- Panel Apprentice of the Year – Ieuan Morris-Brown | iRG | Cardiff
- Paint Apprentice of the Year – Jamie Downing | UK Select | Ross-on-Wye
- Highly commended – Nathan Hunt| Custom Paintwerx | Derby
- Panel Technician of the Year – Richard Evans | Evans Auto Bodies | Aylesbury
- Paint Technician of the Year – Tomas Evans | iRG | Merthyr Tydfil
Powered by asTech – Bodyshop Thatcham Advanced Technologies Technician 2023
- Advanced Technologies Technician of the Year – Andy Goldsmith-Ryan | Devonshire Motors | Barnstaple
Powered by IAEA – Bodyshop Thatcham VDA of the Year 2023
- VDA of the Year – Joe Heritage | Fix Auto | Uxbridge
Bodyshop Awards 2023
- Technical Training Provider of the Year – Nottingham College/EMTEC
- Work Provider of the Year – Vizion Network
- Technology of the Year – GYS | GYSPress Connected Riveting Machine
- Highly commended – PPG | LINQ
- Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year – Stellantis
- Supply Chain Partner of the Year – Independent Paint Supplies
- Specialist Bodyshop of the Year – EV Bodyshops | Enfield
- Small Bodyshop of the Year – Colourcube Automotive | Huddersfield
- Medium Bodyshop of the Year – Cooper Barnes Automotive | Cambridge
- Highly commended – C&P Panelcraft | Croydon
- Large Bodyshop of the Year – Autocraft | Telford
- MSO Bodyshop of the Year – The Vella Group | Skelmersdale
- Highly commended – Drive Motor Retail | Leicester
- Environmental Trailblazer Award – Autocraft | Telford
