34 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Harrows Collision Repairs: 60 years anniversary T T Emma Bailey Family business a Dunedin stalwart Harrows Collision Repairs is one of Dunedin’s largest and most trusted panel beaters, known for its quality service. YOUR TOTAL SIGNAGE SOLUTIONS We know how to make your design ideas a reality. Vehicle Signage ACM & Corflute Signs Building Signage Display Signs & Print Solutions If you need large scale digital printing, window decals for your building or 3D signage – talk to the experienced team at ProSigns in Dunedin. Contact Us 03 455 6613 | prosigns@xtra.co.nz www.prosigns.co.nz For all your Subaru, Volkswagen, Audi, Škoda, GWM, and Omoda Jaecoo parts needs (03) 456 2751 | 7 Timaru Street, Dunedin | southernmotorgroup.co.nz | Mon to Fri: 8am - 5pm Steve De Graaf set up his panel beating business in Harrow Street in North Dunedin in 1962, and after 64 years in business, Harrows Collision Repairs is one of Dunedin’s largest and most trusted panel beaters, known for its quality service. Still going strong, now in its purpose-built premises at 26 Wilkie Road in South Dunedin, the business has been passed down to Steve’s three sons, Mike, Steven, and John. Manager, Steven, says the three brothers had started succession planning and brought in another partner, John Tielkes, who has worked for the company at different times over the years. Steven’s parents immigrated to Dunedin from Holland after the war in 1953. “My dad started in 1962 in Harrow Street in North Dunedin where the university campus is now,” Steven says. “It was originally called Harrow Street Light Engineering, and would make shop stands amongst other things. Slowly, panel beating took over from body-building trailers and truck bodies.” The biggest changes have been in the wide variety of parts now, due to the many makes and models of vehicles available, Steven says. “There is lots of stuff we can’t repair now because of the materials they are made of, so there is less repairing and more replacing parts. “Cars these days have all the electronics embedded in them too, like sonar and radars. There is so much more technology now. We work with a lot of dealers to get the right parts we need through a parts trader website that covers all of New Zealand.” Once the company has a claim number, they take care of the rest of the process, communicating directly with the insurance company, keeping it simple for the client. “There are no assessors coming to inspect vehicles anymore, it’s all done online with digital imaging,” says Steven. Harrows Collision Repairs was one of the first businesses to offer courtesy cars. “It was dad’s idea. He had been in Holland and they were doing it there. We had a few write- offs that we bought and fixed up. We had been selling them, but then we started using them for courtesy cars.” Steven has been in the business since 1982 and his older brother, Mike, has been there for over 40 years as well, and the younger brother, John, for 35 years. Currently, they employ 18 staff. “Some staff have been with us for over 30 years,” Steven says. “We are still training apprentices in the paint and panel departments, which are two different specialities. It is a real highlight seeing the young fellas growing and developing as they do their apprenticeships.” The building has also expanded, as have the vehicles.
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