The two-storey Automall City Service complex, in the Brisbane inner-city suburb of Albion, is now servicing Holden models and employing about 20 staff but aims to boost its work over the Bunnings’ buildings two levels and employ up to 60 people.

Eagers bought the Albion site in early 2019 for $14 million with plans for it to become a two- level express service centre for up to 12 brands, all the while providing dedicated brand experience. Its facilities will include a combined customer cafe.

Eagers Automotive’s executive general manager, Gordon Haining, told GoAutoNews Premium that the Automall City Service centre in Brisbane’s suburb of Albion has opened one floor, which connects with Hudson Street for Holden service.

“We have agreed with our manufacturer partners to move other brands in over the next two to three months,” he said. 

“We are also developing a proprietary Automall service app to enhance the customer experience. 

“This will allow all transactions to be completed on a mobile in under five clicks including selection of the customer’s preferred coffee which will be ready on their arrival. 

“The total focus is to provide a more convenient and efficient vehicle servicing experience for the customer – servicing how and when they want it.

“All of this remains works in progress and gives a flavour of just some of our plans for improving efficiency and customer service.

“We will be able to accommodate up to 60 staff in the areas of customer support, service and administration.

“We have about 20 staff there now with the potential to grow to around 60 as we progress to servicing 100 plus cars per day on the one floor”.  

The floor has 18 express service bays plus additional bays and dedicated work areas for other functions including car washes.

HDR Workshop Solutions was contracted to create the workshop within the two floors of the Bunnings building.

HDR owner David Duncan said it partnered with Eagers to help with designing the layout and flow of the workshop.

HDR helped adjust the final design and coordinate the services while liaising with Eagers and the builder, Armstrong Builders, during the fitout.

“The Bunnings building was a challenging site because there was a line between making some compromises while still ensuring the finished workshop was as efficient as possible to make its operation profitable for the owner,” Mr Duncan said.

“We look at the time-and-motion aspect of a design to ensure the people working in the space have easy access to all the things they need. 

“It’s a key indicator. It’s not about building a workshop for the cheapest price – it has to be built so the owner can make profit from it over time. 

“So it has to be sustainable over the long term. We know the owner will be in that building for the next 10 or 20 years.”

It is not the first job HDR has completed for Eagers, having spent time assisting them as they changed the dealer group’s Holden outlets to suit other brands.

Mr Haining said the Albion centre was to be an extension to what will be built at the Automall complex now under construction at the Brisbane Airport and further, to compliment the Automall West development in Indooroopilly Shopping Centre as part of the Brisbane Automall strategy. 

“The Automall will have a large 100 bay workshop with express service facilities, retail and warranty service and repair, and will be multi-brand to reflect our partner requirements at the airport,” he said.

“Albion is an extension of that and is designed to offer an alternative convenience for people who may not be able to go to the airport or may work in the city or live in the city area, to have their car serviced.”

Mr Haining said the Automall “is at least a couple of years away.”

“It’s progressing very well and due to the scale of such an exciting project it means it will take some time to complete.” 

The transformation of the Bunnings building into a service hub was undertaken by Armstrong Builders and HDR Workshop Solutions.

By Neil Dowling