bodyshop Awards 2021 – finalists

bodyshop magazine has announced all finalists for the bodyshop Awards 2021.

With more than 280 top-quality submissions it was a difficult job for our 14-strong judging panel of industry experts who rose to the challenge during an in-person jury meeting at the bodyshop offices on 29 September.

In the technical categories, competing apprentices and senior techs battled it out over three weeks at Remit Training in Derby, where their knowledge and skills were put to the test during a series of challenging hands-on tasks.

Once again because of the coronavirus pandemic, the IAEA and bodyshop designed, tested and benchmarked a remote viable alternative to in-person testing for the VDA of the Year category.

“A big thank you to our judges, event partners and everyone who took the time to submit an entry this year, and the very best of luck to all the finalists,” said bodyshop editor Simon Wait.

In addition to those being announced here, bodyshop magazine has introduced two new categories – Insurer of the Year and New Technology Award – which will be decided by repairers and the finalists will be announced in late November.

All the winners of the bodyshop Awards 2021 will be unveiled during our live in-person celebration at ICC Wales on 7 April 2022.

bodyshop Awards 2021 finalists:

Educator of the Year

  • Chesterfield College
  • EMTEC
  • ITAS
  • RWC Training

Work Provider of the Year

  • AX
  • Enterprise Rent-A-Car
  • Vizion Network

New Technology Award

  • 3M | Performance Spray Gun
  • Capella | ProXL Generation20 Polish System
  • Solera Audatex | The Solera Green Parts Connector
  • Walcom | Ego Carbonio 190 HTE

Insurer of the Year

  • Admiral
  • Aviva
  • Covéa
  • LV=

Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year

  • BMW
  • Jaguar Land Rover
  • Stellantis

Customer Experience Award

  • Alpha Rapid Repair
  • C&D Services
  • Basic Welding Services
  • James Wylie Auto Repairs

New Bodyshop of the Year

  • AXIOM ARC | Yaxley
  • Faraday Mill | Plymouth
  • The Vella Group | Manchester
  • Zeus Accident Repair | Snodland

MSO Bodyshop of the Year

  • Drive Vauxhall
  • Pennings Group
  • The Vella Group

Independent Bodyshop of the Year

  • Autocraft | Telford
  • AXIOM ARC | Yaxley
  • The Bodycentre | Norwich
  • C&P Panelcraft | Croydon

Apprentice MET Technician of the Year

  • Calum Gillet | Fix Auto Mid Devon
  • Mitchell Rose | Pennings Group, Watford
  • Catherine Short | The Vella Group, Workington

Apprentice Panel Technician of the Year

  • Michael Eaton | Fleetline Coachworks, Croydon
  • Harry Owens | The Vella Group, Skelmersdale

Apprentice Paint Technician of the Year

  • Bethany Creaser | FMG Repair Services, Chilham
  • Michael Reynolds | The Vella Group, Deeside
  • Charlotte Rush | Sytner BMW, Chigwell
  • Alanta Tarling | Sytner BMW, Chigwell

MET Technician of the Year

  • Simon Broomfield | The Vella Group, Skelmersdale
  • Chris Cupit | Merseyside Car Hospital
  • John Parish | Fleetline Coachworks, Croydon
  • Ian Phillips | Fix Auto Redhill
  • George Roberts | Solus ARC, Warrington

Panel Technician of the Year

  • Carl Batt | DLG Auto Services, Aldershot
  • Derek Nesbitt | Solus ARC, Cumbernauld
  • Robert Smyth | Charles Hurst, Belfast
  • Ryan Sutherland | John Clark, Aberdeen
  • Joel Tunstall | The Vella Group, Deeside

Paint Technician of the Year

  • Adam Davis | The Bodycentre, Norwich
  • Ollie Hayward | Pennings Group, Milton Keynes
  • Prakash Katechiya | C&D Services, Basildon
  • Rachel Murray | Paint by Rach, Belfast

VDA of the Year

  • Daniel Holloway | Admiral
  • Michael Keller | AXA
  • Jason Russell | LV=
  • Russell Taylor | Pentagon Ford

Bodyshop Manager of the Year

  • Lee Evans | AXIOM ARC
  • Patrick Mackin | Mackins ARC
  • Andy Ramsay | Fix Auto Crawley
  • Micah Sherwood | English Ford

bodyshop magazine thanks all supporters of our 2021 Awards dinner.