Family business leads collision repair industry: Shane Harvey steering ABE into the future

Family business leads collision repair industry: Shane Harvey steering ABE into the future

When Shane Harvey took over his family business, ABE (Auto Body Equipment), in 2005, he wasn’t just continuing a legacy, he was reshaping one. Based in Hamilton, ABE began as a traditional panel and paint operation but has evolved into one of New Zealand’s most sophisticated suppliers and trainers for the automotive industry.

The Harvey family has spent decades around cars and boats, with Shane’s parents running a conventional panel and paint business before he and his wife Kylie took the wheel nearly 20 years ago. “I grew up in the workshop,” Shane recalls. “As a kid, I was always around cars and tools – I was always trying to have a crack at panel-beating my pushbike!”

Today, ABE operates across five distinct business silos: training, tools and equipment, consumables, service and repair, and project builds such as spray booths and clean rooms. This structure, introduced after Shane completed the Icehouse Owner Manager Programme (OMP) in 2019, has given the company new visibility into performance and profitability.

“One of the mistakes we were making was throwing everything into one pot and hoping for the best,” Shane jokes. “Dividing the business into silos with their own cost centres changed the way we managed everything.”

World class industry training

One of ABE’s defining innovations is its Training Academy, which partners with the Giltrap Group to deliver specialised and hands-on OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) training for brands such as Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, and Jaguar Land Rover.

The Academy started as an idea back in 2007 but didn’t gain real traction until years later. “We ran events, but people didn’t want to pay for training back then,” Shane explains. “It took a long time to get it off the ground as a sustainable part of the business.”

Now, the Academy runs around 45 training days a year, combining classroom instruction with hands-on practical sessions. Technicians are trained by European OEM partners, then ABE facilitates that expertise locally. “We’re the only business in New Zealand doing this kind of training,” Shane says. “It’s all about upskilling already-qualified technicians to an elite level and it’s grown massively. We’re never going to get rich delivering training, but it brings loyalty from our clients and when you have the passion for an industry like we do, then we want things to be done the right way.”

Industry ups and downs

The automotive repair industry is in challenging times with fewer accident claims, and the growing influence of large Australian repair chains tied to insurers. “There’s a battle over who owns the customer,” Shane says. “Insurers want to direct repairs, but manufacturers want customers to stay within their authorised networks to protect warranties.”

The rise of electric vehicles hasn’t rattled Shane. “Once repairers learn how to isolate the electrification, it’s just another body to repair,” he says. “New technology always brings new tools, procedures, and training needs and that’s good for us.”

Building a loyal team

Shane’s leadership philosophy has been shaped by both experience and more recently education. A long-serving team, some with over 15 years at ABE, reflects a strong workplace culture and one that he’s intentionally built on since completing the Icehouse programme.

“The Icehouse made me realise how much effort culture takes,” he says. I thought we were doing things well and then I got into the Owner Manager Programme and realised how much more we needed to do. I started having regular one-on-ones with my team instead of just a Monday morning “catch-up on the weekend” style meeting. That’s been a huge shift and allowed productivity to lift.”

Through COVID-19, the connections forged in his OMP cohort became invaluable. “The group stayed close on WhatsApp,” Shane says. “We supported each other through that uncertainty. It was a lifeline. The group kicked off together from day one – it’s been an amazing group to be part of.”

Future confidence

While Shane acknowledges the market will tighten, he remains optimistic. “We might lose a few clients, but the ones that stay will be stronger and more professional,” he says. “The trade needs that expertise.”

As ABE continues to grow its national presence and deepen partnerships with global OEMs, Shane’s focus remains clear: stay innovative, stay connected, and keep developing people, business and himself.

“Icehouse gave me the confidence and the structure to think differently,” he reflects. “That’s what’s kept us relevant after 30 years in business and there’s so much more to look forward to.”