Two Forbes businesses have been shortlisted for the Western NSW Regional Business Awards: Topsoil Organics and Forbes Automotive Services, whose operations manager Cody Banks has been named a finalist for individual honours.
What an incredible reflection on the calibre of business in our community.
Forbes Automotive Services and their operations manager Cody Banks have been named finalists in the Western NSW Business Awards.
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Cody is a finalist in the Outstanding Employee category, and the business is one of just five shortlisted in the Excellence in Innovation category for this year's awards.
It's recognition of the work the team has done since Nick Ryan first leased the former Paddisons' premises in Rankin Street in 2019 - and how they've not only survived through COVID-19 but increased their staffing and restored an historic CBD building.
The business sits on a prominent corner in Forbes and dates back decades, purpose-built by the Paddison family as a General Motors showroom and workshop in the 1940s.
Nick and Katrina (Ferguson) have now purchased the property, including the corner block with its big glass windows - painting, cleaning, restoring the flooring and rewinding the historic clock that was still over the workshop.
Their vision was for a one-stop shop, with automotive repairs, services and accessory fitting and ARB specialty sales - and they've been able to deliver, the demand for their services recognised in their need to double their staffing.
They've become a stockist for ARB, transforming what was the showroom into their retail space with photographs from the Paddisons era on display and already increasing the ARB products stocked by 300 per cent.
"You can see and touch the accessories - and then we have the workshop attached so you can buy and fit them in the same location," Katrina explains.
In the workshop itself, they've upgraded their diagnostic scan tool to increase their efficiency and accuracy.
Cloud-based booking and workshop monitoring systems give management real-time insight into operations.
That brings us to operations manager Cody, a familiar face in Forbes as he has been working in spare parts and training as a mechanic since he finished school in 2016.
Cody has a busy role coordinating accurate and timely bookings with an accurate part list and timeframe for the work required: this also ensures ordering and receipt of stock happens smoothly.
With the business's rapid growth, he's been part of the team setting up the new display room, spare parts store and processes.
The Western NSW Business Awards, in its 10th year, recognise growth, entrepreneurship, and celebrates business success and resilience.
Forbes has two local businesses recognised as finalists, you can read all about Topsoil Organics here.
Winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner and Award Celebration on Friday 22 July in Dubbo at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
Winners of the 2022 Western NSW Business Awards, will then represent the region at the State Business Awards to be held in November.
