MG Motoring 2018 December 2018 - opt | Page 24

MG Car Club of South Australia MGB REGISTER EVENT From Steve Spong.. W Tuesday 23 rd October 2018 Visit to Willshire now employs 15 staff, 9 of whom are in the workshop. Of the staff the longest serving employee has clocked up 32 years, with several others close on his tail. e had been kindly invited by Daryl Bowler, the Managing director of Willshire, to visit his motor trimming and auto fit out facility at Richmond. Traditional motor trimming still accounts for some 40% of their work, with the remainder being new vehicle fit out and modification, with extensive work in dis- ability access. A large part of their work is for government and authorities, such as prison vehicles, St. Johns Ambu- lance for whom they are contracted to fit out 40 ambulances, and local council courtesy buses etc. Often they are We were greeted by Daryl with some beer as he gave us a very comprehen- sive talk on Willshire before conducting a tour of his facility and an inspection of the vehicles currently in the ‘shop.’ Willshire was started by Don Willshire in 1955, the business then being taken over by his son. Since then there have been two more owners with Daryl purchasing the busi- ness some 10 years ago, being at the present prem- ises, on Deacon Avenue for the past 5 years. The prem- ises were previously used by Hyde Park Press and was where John Roach worked. Daryl has grown the busi- ness to probably the largest of its type in the State, going well beyond being just tradi- tional motor trimmers and 22