AARN Update to Members and Corporate Partners 12th of August 2016
AARN Members and Corporate Partners,
It was proposed in April that the AARN network change from being a social and networking entity to becoming a work provider and buying group by initiating some key elements for sustainability.
Members were offered the choice to commit to a new operating model in June 2016;
Specifically this was :
- Co-branding to increase both B2B and public awareness of the group
- Governance – implement and strengthen the required governance within the network to ensure viability of all concerned.
- Procurement – included managed procurement to increase cost effectiveness of the independent repairer
- Work provision – increase the likely hood of work provision by implementing all of the above.
AARN firmly believed in the co-operative model which was created to assist independent repairers face the current instability of the industry being encountered by consolidation of repair facilities and work providers requiring greater capacity and governance by repairers.
However, following extensive consultation, insufficient members committed to the new model to make it financially viable to continue AARNs operations.
The Board of AARN accepts the decision of members and shareholders and so it is with deep regret that AARN advises after 20 years in the industry it will now cease trading.
In the coming weeks AARN will be appointing a liquidator to finalise its affairs.
The liquidators will be charged with ensuring all accounts and taxation requirements are completed prior to releasing balance of capital to current shareholders. The appointed Liquidator will contact all shareholders in due course, we appreciate your patience in this matter as there is a legal process which needs to be respected.
We also request that any entities who have outstanding accounts owed to AARN settle these expeditiously to assist with our wind-up requirements.
The AARN Board would like to take this opportunity to thank all of its repairer members and corporate partners for their participation in the past 20 years. Whilst being at the forefront of industry relationships for a substantial time, we also feel the viability for a network not providing the above services is limited.
We wish all of our counterparts well in their endeavours to assist in securing a long term future for automotive repair independent operators.
On behalf of Suellen and myself, it has been an absolute pleasure, we wish you all our best wishes for a prosperous future and have collectively sincerely enjoyed our time at AARN over the past 20 years.
Kindest regards,
Di
Dianne Rawlings
CEO/MD
Editor: The above is the official release by AARN to their members and we thank Di Rawlings for sharing this with us. It is sad to see AARN having to take this action and I have been in touch with Di Rawlings and she had this to say: “AARN are currently in a windup situation with a liquidator being appointed in the near future. I will add this is voluntary and AARN is solvent, appointing a liquidator is simply to wind up with ATO, ASIC and shareholders.”
I am here at NACE right now and having just attended a big session on consolidation I can assure you that it is still taking place at a rapid pace and there is no doubt that shops who make the effort to either consolidate, join a group or put the effort into their businesses with training, education, update of equipment and technology and are receptive to change have a future in this industry.
