Mr O’Neill said their MTA representative travelled to Moree every four to six weeks and kept them in the loop about the awards.
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“I heard about the opportunity and decided to enter the business for the first time, so about three months ago we self-nominated and filled out forms about the businesses developments, improvements and future,” Mr O’Neill said.
About two weeks ago he received news the business made the finals, so Mr O’Neill booked a ticket for him and his wife to travel to Sydney for the presentation dinner on November 15.
“I was stoked and very surprised to hear we had been named finalists but it just goes to show the quality we have out in the country,” he said.
Mr O’Neill said the constant training and their recent accreditation of a ‘green stamp’ were two major contributors to being named finalists.
“We’re constantly travelling about six to eight hours away to keep up to date with the changing industry. It’s always moving forward so we make sure we keep up to date and in the know,” he said.
“They’re working on self-driving cars which will be interesting,” Mr O’Neill laughed.
The other advantage was the fact they were the second green stamp accredited business in northern NSW.
“Basically we decided to go through the process of making our workshop more environmentally friendly to take care of the world we have,” he said.
The business is the only one in Moree to have the stamp and is one of 16 businesses is the state to be accredited.
“Things like installing sky lights instead of using power, investing in a filter crusher so we can empty the oil and crush the filters so they can be used as scrap medal instead of going to landfill and putting a light on the air compressor so we know when it is off and on, were some of the many things we did to achieve the green stamp,” Mr O’Neill said.
Another bonus for the business is its ‘dry workshop’. “We don’t do any washing so nothing from our shop is run into the gutters. We are completely dry.”
Mr O’Neill said being named a finalist was a “massive” achievement.
“We’re hoping to come home with the gold and it would be great if we did, but even going to the awards night will be a great opportunity to network and have a weekend away,” he said.
