Royans grows…and grows (with more to come)
FAST-GROWING VEHICLE REPAIR SPECIALIST ROYANS, which expanded into New Zealand from Australia last year, now has five Kiwi branches up and running.
Wilcock Truck Painters in Christchurch, a 30-year-old heavy vehicle panel repair and commercial vehicle painting business, joined the Royans network in mid-September…
While Reliance Truck Painting and Collision Repairs (also in Sockburn) became the fifth Royans branch late last month.
Royans Group began its push into NZ with the purchase of the Transvisual truck refinishing centre at Wiri in July last year. It has since expanded into an adjacent premises at Wiri, purchased Truck Smash Repairs in Otahuhu and, in August, took over John Bates Wheel Alignment in Palmerston North.
Australia’s largest commercial vehicle repair, painting and servicing specialists’ NZ expansion is being matched on the other side of the Tasman – its Australian network now boasting 20 branches. It recently added its first branches in South Australia and Western Australia.
Royans has operated in Australia’s eastern states for 75 years, specialising in truck and trailer accident repairs, panelbeating and spraypainting. The current expansion drive began in Australia early in 2020, after private equity firm The Growth Fund took a controlling interest in the company. At that stage Royans had just six repair centres.
Its NZ plan is to establish a chain of one-stop truck and trailer repair centres, offering chassis straightening, fabrication, panelbeating and painting services.
Royans’ general manager of NZ operations, Dave White, says that since the purchase of Transvisual last year “we have gone on to acquire a number of very high-profile commercial transport accident repair facilities across NZ, with a view to bolster our existing repair offering with existing sites and well-known local managers to take care of our customers.”
The purchase of John Bates Wheel Alignment has given Royans a Palmerston North operation with “a long history specialising in heavy transport chassis repairs, with Josam chassis and wheel alignment equipment – and another welltrained team.
“We have been able to secure the well-known and long-established Christchurch businesses of Wilcock Truck Painters, with Gordon Wilcock staying on to manage the day-to-day operation.”
Similarly, Reliance Truck Painting and Collision Repairs’ Wayne Ashby is “staying on to manage that operation, as he has for many years.
“Our Wiri site has undergone some major expansion to enable heavy transport accident repairs, including chassis straightening and cab replacements to take place onsite.”
White says the investment includes new state-of-the-art Josam chassis equipment from Sweden, with a 40 tonne press capability, built into the floor of the former Penske NZ building. There’s also a full-workshop-width gantry crane and remote truck lifters, along with associated equipment and training.
“It’s a one-stop heavy transport repair facility, which we believe to be the best in the country,” White says.
“The chassis machine is already busy and our clients are enjoying having a repair facility with this capability and space available to ensure fast turnaround of structural repairs to truck chassis, trailers and machinery, with LT400 certification through an approved engineer.
“The next 12 months is taking shape nicely as we look to bring on board more well-run commercial transport facilities and operators to increase our network.”