The winners of the Bodyshop Awards 2025 have been crowned at a glittering ceremony at The Belfry Hotel & Resort in Sutton Coldfield.
The 29th Bodyshop Awards & Expo kicked off on Monday evening with the Nexuss by Primrose Bodyshop Awards Welcome Party, before the Bodyshop Expo on Tuesday saw industry leaders, bodyshops, suppliers and manufacturers converge in the Belfy’s newly launched £80m Masters Suite.
The Expo, which featured a range of product demonstrations and launches, also introduced a brand-new feature, KnowledgeXchange, which offered delegates the opportunity to speak to five separate experts about pressing issues such as business planning, debt recovery, apprenticeships and HR, and energy cost savings.
The experts on hand were Robert Snook, BSG; Sam Matthews, ECA Business Energy; Eleanor Baker Barnes, Apprenticeship Central; Martyn Rowley, NBRA; and Nicola Sutherland, NS People Partners.
Simon Wait, Bodyshop Magazine editor, said: “Free face-to-face access to this level of expertise is almost unheralded, so we are extremely grateful to Robert, Sam, Eleanor, Martyn and Nicola for supporting us in introducing this feature.
“KnowledgeXchange underlines how we are constantly trying to evolve and improve what is already established as the industry’s most prestigious awards and event show.
“This year has been no exception and another fantastic success. It’s always good to meet our industry colleagues and recognise those businesses and individuals who have raised the bar in the last year in terms of quality, delivery and service.
“Nominations for the Bodyshop Awards 2025 this year were of an exceptionally high standard, and I’d like to congratulate all our winners, as well as our sponsors, without whom this would not have been possible.”
Bodyshop Awards 2025 winners are:
- Apprentice MET Technician of the Year: Megan Robinson, FMGRS Benfleet
- Apprentice Paint Technician of the Year: Tayla Bennison, Drive Motor Retail Redcar
- Apprentice Panel Technician of the Year: Lewis Robinson, Autocraft Telford
- Paint Technician of the Year: Gary Gee, Solus ARC Basingstoke
- Panel Technician of the Year: Adam Ball, The Vella Group Preston
- Advanced Technologies Technician of the Year: Ionel Tiganus, Solus ARC Park Royal
- VDA of the Year: Mel Johnston, Solus ARC Warrington
- Bodyshop Group of the Year: The Vella Group
- Bodyshop Manager the Year: Patrick Mackin, Mackins ARC
- Large Bodyshop of the Year: Autocraft, Telford
- Medium Bodyshop of the Year: Mackins ARC, Newry
- Small Bodyshop of the Year: SmartXPress, Blackpool
- Supply Chain Partner of the Year: INDASA Abrasives UK
- Technical Training Provider of the Year: EMTEC Nottingham College
30 Under 30: Rising Stars
The evening also celebrated the 30 Under 30 winners for 2025. The previously announced winners represent all job functions and almost every part of the collision repair industry and its supply chain, including apprentices and technicians, bodyshop managers, accounts and administration, sales and marketing, VDAs and engineers, and distribution.
Bodyshop Magazine would like to thank this year’s sponsors: 3M, Axalta, Repairify Europe, Vizion Network; AkzoNobel, Automechanika UK, BASF, Core Diagnostics, Entegral, Institute of Automotive Engineer Assessors, Kapci Coatings, Primrose Radar Calibration, Thatcham Research; ACG, DeVilbiss, INDASA Abrasives UK, LKQ, Onyx BMS, SATA UK, Stellantis; DEBRA UK and AutoRaise.
