SOUTH Australian automotive electronics manufacturer Redarc Group was one of several aftermarket industry players to be recognised for excellence and innovation at the 2024 Auto Aftermarket Awards held as part of last week’s Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo in Melbourne.
Nearly 700 industry guests gathered to share what is recognised as a major industry highlight, the awards spanning a range of categories, including the newly introduced Automotive Sustainability Business award, the Automotive Education Excellence award, and the Women at the Wheel award.
The gala evening also marked the opportunity to honour several of the automotive aftermarket’s brightest stars.
Redarc Group managing director Anthony Kittel took home the Outstanding Service to Industry award while multiple Pedders Suspension and Brakes franchisee Lex Gelmi received the Kim Aunger Young Achiever award.
Penrite Oil Company matriarch Margaret Dymond was inducted to the Australian Automotive Aftermarket (AAAA) Hall of Fame, as was co-founder of technical information and training network The Automotive Technician, Jeff Smit.
“The awards dinner was a truly special night that reinforces my admiration for this incredible industry,” said AAAA chief executive Stuart Charity.
“The vibe was electric, and importantly we were able celebrate and reward those achieving great things in our industry. Congratulations to all our award winners at the Gala, and the Innovation Awards Breakfast. It is inspirational for all of us.”
Speaking with GoAuto on the success of Redarc at this year’s awards, Mr Kittel said the Most Innovative New Product – Electrical award recognises the hard work and innovative thinking shown by the Redarc Group team.
“The TVMS Rogue was fully designed, developed, and manufactured in South Australia by our engineers. This advanced product recognises and provides for the sophistication and power requirements of larger caravans and more complex rear-of-body canopies, particularly in trade vehicles and commercial applications,” he said.
“We looked at how we could design a more compact system, but also give some extra ‘smarts’ into the design. This unit allows operates to do much more than before … and it is a really big credit to the Redarc team.
“We invest 15 per cent of our revenue back into R&D every year, so our team is very sophisticated in terms of hardware and electronic designers, software and firmware designers, mechanical design physicists, data scientists, and so on.
“The team is evolving all the time, and awards like these pay credit to all the hard work they do – and the sophisticated products they are developing.”
Mr Kittel told GoAuto he was equally proud that Redarc’s commitment to sustainability was recognised by this year’s inaugural Automotive Business Sustainability award.
“We’re also very proud to say that we design and build our products here in Australia, and that we are a sustainable business, which the Automotive Business Sustainability award recognises,” he added.
“We now supply 48 per cent of our total energy demands for our factory in Adelaide from solar renewable energy, and we’re doing a lot more in that space in the months and years to come.
“We want to show that we are more than a manufacturing business – we want to show that we are a very sustainable and environmentally friendly business that our employees are passionate about, and that it is a great place to work.”
On his Outstanding Service to Industry award, Mr Kittel humbly said there were “many more deserving people” in the automotive aftermarket sector than himself.
2024 AAAE Awards Honour Roll – Excellence Awards:
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Kim Aunger Young Achiever
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Lex Gelmi, Pedders Suspension & Brakes
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Outstanding Service to Industry
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Anthony Kittel, Redarc Group
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Hall of Fame Inductee
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Margaret Dymond, Penrite Oil Company
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Hall of Fame Inductee
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Jeff Smith, The Automotive Technician
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Terry Mahoney Excellence in Marketing
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Nulon Products Australia
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Excellence in Manufacturing
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FMP Group
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Excellence in Export
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Redarc Group
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Excellence in Employee Engagement
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Repco Authorised Service
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Automotive Education Excellence
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Clinton Brett, Diesel Help Australia
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Women at the Wheel
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Priscilla Robb
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Excellence in Repair & Service – Franchise
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Maryborough Service Centre (Repco)
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Excellence in Repair & Service – Individual
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Cody McKay, Radical Automotive
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2024 AAAE Awards Honour Roll – Innovation Awards:
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Most Innovative New Product – 4WD
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Zeder Corporation
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Most Innovative New Product – Accessories
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Brown & Watson International
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Most Innovative New Product – Electrical
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Redarc Group
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Most Innovative New Product – Parts
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FMP Group
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Most Innovative New Product – Tools
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CoolDrive Auto Parts
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Most Innovative Community Impact Program
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mycar Tyre & Auto
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Most Innovative Marketing Campaign
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mycar Tyre & Auto
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Most Innovative e-Commerce Solution
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Zeder Corporation
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Automotive Business Sustainability
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Redarc Group
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2024 AAAE Awards Honour Roll – Expo Stand Awards:
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Under 36 square metres
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Megabus
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Over 36 square metres
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Brembo
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