Willmot - Cairns Car Spray Painters

About us

A local Cairns business success story

Mission statement
With a strong customer focus we work together effectively as a team to ensure efficiency, professionalism and high-quality standards are achieved to evolve with an ever-changing industry while operating with the best environmental practices available.

From the beginning in 1977 in a small shed in Palm Avenue Allan was repairing damaged vehicles of few makes & models. In 1984, WSRS installed the first compliant Spray Booth and the first Data liner Laser Chassis Measuring & Straightening machine, becoming a competent & quality assured body shop and obtaining the RACQ Selected Repairer contract.

1997 saw WSRS building a new shed next door in Newell Street, dedicated to smash repairs and administration. The old shed was prepared for 2 full downdraft drive through spray booths and a preparation booth creating a state-of-the-art spray-painting facility.

Since Allan’s retirement, daughter Helena Willmot and partner Wes Jenkins have taken WSRS with all hands maintaining the quality and continually improving efficiencies. Today WSRS not only keep up with the environmental practices available to its industry but also with the technology & training to repair the many sophisticated makes & models on the market today.

December 2017, Helena Willmot and Wes Jenkins are now in a brand-new purpose-built facility located 136 Newell Street (3 doors down from our previous location).

Our new HQ provides a streamlined repair process which reduces cycle times and increases efficiencies, now with 28 staff inside the Willmot family and state of the art equipment – 2 drive through direct fired Pan Spray booths, UV primer curing, Car-O-Liner Drive on electronic chassis measuring system and much more to contribute to efficient and effective repairs.

Helena Willmot

Managing Director

Helena is the daughter of Allan Willmot who established the business in 1977 and Helena brings a great sense of family to the entire team at Willmot, having been involved with the business throughout her life.

Helena and her partner Wes Jenkins purchased the business in the year 2015 but have been well known and hands on in their roles as General Managers prior. Helena brings years of experience in Accounting, Management and HR. She has also ventured away from the business in the past working remotely in a Mt Isa quarry for a major developer and various accounting firms. However, Helena calls Cairns home as a true local born and bred and loves our tropical climate and that it’s her own piece of paradise.

Helena’s experience has fully equipped her for her role as a mentor for the team and loves working with existing team members and enjoys finding the right people to fit within the Willmot work family.

Helena takes great pleasure in seeing her customers get their cars repaired with quality and have them seen back on the road as efficiently as possible. Just to eliminate that stress from an unfortunate event and streamlining the repair process for locals and visitors to our region and to turn their day around.

The best advise Helena can give her customers is if they are in an accident, make sure you deal with professionals who are highly trained to repair your vehicle back to manufacturer specifications, maintaining your safety, she cannot stress that enough.

Wes Jenkins

Managing Director

Wes Jenkins has been with the Willmot team since the year 2006 as a Trade Qualified Panel Beater working with Helena and her father Allan prior to their official takeover of the business in the year 2015 as Managing Director alongside his fiancé Helena Willmot.

Wes loves still being hands on with the team and on the floor and overseeing the whole operation of the day to day running of all projects booked and ensuring collaboration and cooperation of all team members working together. Wes works very closely with Kurt in production and quality control of all vehicle paint and panel repairs.

Being a Cairns local, born and bred, Wes loves living in our region and enjoying a tropical lifestyle with his partner Helena where they met at Willmot Smash Repairs in the year 2006. Helena and Wes got engaged in the year 2015 and keep saying, when they get 5 minutes spare, they’ll get married, however the focus and priority is always kept on the Willmot work family.

Wes always advises his customers to look after your car as it is your prized possession, always get it fixed and serviced regularly and in the event of an accident, call our professional team who can assist you through the process and make sure your vehicle is repaired back to industry standards.

Ash Jonuzi

Willmot Estimator

Roles: Provide a friendly and professional estimating service and manage the company’s frontline while working closely with the production manager for effective communication with customers.

Qualifications: Trades qualified Panel Beater & iCar Student

Experience: 30+ years in the industry. Has worked in Multi-site operations for larger companies in Melbourne and brings his knowledge and expertise in the administration and management functions.

Ash has been with Willmot Smash Repairs since 2016 as an Estimator and is fully qualified to estimate the damage of all makes and models of vehicles. Ash has a long history in estimating cars, previously working with other Panel Shops prior to Willmot.

Ash is a Cairns local and really enjoys the weather of North Queensland and working with a great team of people at Willmot Smash Repairs. Ash recommends to his customer to ensure they can select your own repairer on your insurance policy and is willing to assist all our customers with this.

Mick Curtin

Willmot Estimator

Roles: Comprehensive Estimating ensuring work provider obligations are met and KPI’s are reached.

Qualifications: Trade qualified Panel Beater, iCar Student, Cert II in Automotive Air-conditioning Technology, First Aid Officer, Test & Tag

Experience: 36 years experience with Willmot Smash Repair Specialist. Commenced apprenticeship in 1983 with the company and has maintained a highly respectable position.

Mick is almost part of the furniture, having been with the Willmot Team since the year 1983 and is an incredibly experienced estimator on all makes and models of vehicles as well as new European makes and models and all the latest range of new technology being developed in cars in the world today.

Mick gets great joy from seeing a smashed car drive out fully repaired with the efficiency team he gets to work with at Willmot Smash Repairs.

Mick loves the tropical weather of North Queensland, being a born and bred local, loves Cairns and the community feel and always recommends locals and visitors of Cairns to opt for vehicle insurance.

Kurt Igesund

Production Manager & Quality Controller

Roles: Supervise Panel shop staff and allocate jobs based on skill levels. Ensuring estimated completion dates are met and no bottle-necks occur effecting cycle times. Liaise closely with Office Manager to achieve customer satisfaction.

Qualifications: Autobody Technician Trade Certificate & i-Car Student

Experience: 12+ years in Autobody Repairs. Commenced with Willmot Smash Repair September 2015. Promoted to Panel shop Leader June 2016. Promoted to Production Manager June 2018

Kurt has been with the Willmot family since 2015 and draws on 15 years of previous experience working with a smash repairs company. Kurt really loves his team at Willmot;

“Everyone gets along and we all have one goal. Which is to deliver a professional experience while repairing the customers car to the highest standards. Watching all cars in and out to return them to their owners and get them back on the road efficiently as possible.”

Having lived in Cairns for more than 20 years now, calls himself a local and can’t see himself moving anytime soon due to his love of Cairns’ climate and lifestyle. In saying that, Kurt knows that Cairns can go through some extreme weather conditions at times which can play havoc on your cars paint and plastics. Be sure to polish your paint every few months, not only protect it from the sun but it also makes it easier to wash and gives it a lovely gloss look.

Ashleigh Barnard

Scheduling & Bookings Administrator

Ashleigh is our scheduling and bookings administrator and a customer service representative, greeting everyone as they walk-in, answering phones and assisting with car repair enquiries. Ashleigh is always helpful and professional with a willingness to help everyone and liaises closely with our Production Management team.

Ashleigh has completed a Certificate III in Business Administration and a Certificate II in Retail Services and is currently undergoing Leadership Training to offer ongoing assistance to our department heads.

Previously working as a Frontline Supervisor in a major supermarket, Ashleigh has the capability to communicate efficiently in the smash repair industry. Industry challenges continue to educate Ashleigh on her ability to communicate within the team and to customers about a variety of logistics synonymous to the paint and panel industry and delivery of parts.

Ashleigh throws herself into her role and aims to achieve the best possible understanding of the industry. She provides quality advice for customer’s needs, whether you’re having your car repaired directly through us or through your insurance provider.

As a bonus to the Willmot family and why Ashleigh makes such a fantastic fit to our team is her love of vehicles and being a car enthusiast herself, you’ll find Ashleigh at a variety of local motor sporting events, but not as a bystander, you’ll see her inside the vehicle tearing up tyres in the burnouts.