Best in the business: Matt McIntosh and partner Sharon Briscoe with their award at The Star Sydney. Source: Supplied
Echuca Service Centre has earned one of the highest honours in the automotive industry.
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The team won the 2024 Automotive Services award at the Australian Small Business Champion Awards.
The event, held at The Star Sydney on Saturday, April 13, has recognised small businesses across the country for 26 years.
Family-owned Echuca Service Centre and 4WD has been in business for 28 years, and owner Matt McIntosh was excited to be recognised at the event.
Winners are grinners: Echuca Service Centre’s Matt McIntosh and partner Sharon Briscoe accept their Australian Small Business Champion Award. Source: Supplied
“(I’m) over the moon,” he said.
“We were glad to be picked in the final nine, and it was a bit of a shock when they announced we won.
“We were blown away.”
In 2019, Echuca Service Centre received the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce Industry Award for Best Light Mechanical from a large regional business and a gold award in the Excellence in Manufacturing and Trade category at the Campaspe Murray Business Awards.
The team was surprised to win the Australian Small Business Champion award, with Mr McIntosh delivering an impromptu speech on the night.
"I didn’t have a speech prepared, so I thought about it on my way up,“ he said.
“We are grateful for customers and our great team.”
Champions: All of the winners at the Australian Small Business Champion Awards. Source: Supplied
Australian Small Business Champion Awards founder and managing director of Precedent Productions, Steve Loe, said they received thousands of entries from across the country.
“This year’s awards saw more than 5500 small business submissions from cities as well as rural, regional and suburban towns in every Australian state and territory,” said Mr Loe.
“This year’s submissions spoke volumes of the resilience of Australia’s small business sector, which is enduring what may be the toughest period in recent memory with a number of challenges associated with increased expenses and operating costs, staff hire, productivity and the overall ongoing high cost of living.
“Now more than ever is the time to shine a spotlight on Australia’s hard-working small businesspeople and to recognise their invaluable contributions to their communities and to the nation as a whole.”
There are more than 2.5 million small businesses in Australia, and the event honours the achievements of some of these businesses.
The Echuca Service Centre team was among the 118 winners who received honours across various categories.
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