The blue branding of Hannam Street Mufflers and the Walsh name are a common sight in the motorsport circles of Far North Queensland. For more than 50 years, patriarch Michael Walsh has been a serious competitor at local drag strips, tarmac rallies and speedway tracks, and for more than 45 years, Michael and his wife Robyn have worked in the automotive industry in Cairns. Robyn Walsh took a moment recently to chat with Motor Trader about Michael and Hannam Street Mufflers.

Words and pictures: Lara Wilde

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Tell us about the products and services that Hannam Street Mufflers provides?

RM: Hannam Street Mufflers is a locally owned and operated family business, and we specialise in exhaust and mechanical work for a wide variety of cars. We see customers bring in everything from their brand-new four-wheel drive vehicles that they want modified to take to the Cape, through to classic cars they are restoring. We also manufacture custom pipe work for industrial machines, boats, trucks, and generators as well as cars.

How long have you been established?

RM: Michael has had a mechanical business of one sort or another for more than 45 years. We officially opened the doors to Hannam Street Mufflers together in 1998.

What is your background in the industry?

RM: Michael is a qualified mechanic and a mad-keen motorsport enthusiast. It is one thing to train as a mechanic but being a passionate race car driver who builds and repairs his own race cars provides Michael with another level of expertise. I was an automotive parts interpreter and administrator before we opened the business, and my background has been very useful to provide advice to customers.

Are you still hands-on in the business today?

RM: Oh yes. We are both here on a regular basis where Michael oversees the workshop and I manage the office.

Who is your current Hannam Street Muffler team?

RM: Our current team is Michael, myself, Kerry, Jon, Kham, Matty, Zac, and Donnie. We are also looking to employ another trade-qualified mechanic to be part of our team and contribute to our ever-growing business.

Do you sponsor local motorsport and individual competitors? What role does it play in your marketing activities for the business?

RM: We place a large value on supporting our local motorsport community. Hannam Street Mufflers sponsor and actively supports most speedway and motorsports through product and work. That might mean providing a workshop space for competitors to work on their cars and get assistance from our team, or it might mean a heavy discount on parts and labour to build their car. By having our name on our race cars and many competitors’ cars we know our brand is getting out to the truly passionate motorsport enthusiasts in our region. Brand recognition can go a long way when those race fans are asked by their mates who to go to.

What are your plans for the next few years?

RM: We really enjoy our role as mentors in our business. We are looking forward to keeping the business successful and watching it grow. We are also very passionate about building a successful Sprintcar team that dominates the local competition.

What do you do with your spare time?

RM: As a family owned and operated business, we are lucky to have the opportunity to spend time as a family in and out of the shop. When we aren’t there, we spend time together racing speedway, water skiing, and camping.

What advice would you give to a young you starting out in the industry?

RM: When you are young and first starting out you can often think you know best. Our advice would be to learn as much as you can about the industry and never stop bettering your knowledge. That, and always treat people the way you like to be treated. We receive many great reviews on our customer service and that is because we always treat our customers, our staff, and our peers in the industry the way we would like to be treated.

How much importance do you place on social media for your business?

RM: Social media is a great tool to let people know what is happening in your business. Our customers like to keep track of what we are up to – from staff birthdays to cool cars on the hoist through to positions vacant and new products. Using social media, we can reach our existing and potential customers immediately and receive their feedback in real time.

What do you see as the greatest advancement in technology for your business?

RM: Generally, modern technology has been the greatest advancement in our business. From computers to streamline stock control and marketing on social media, to eftpos and pay wave for customer convenience through to diagnostic scanners and tools working on the cars. It is a struggle now to remember what life was like in a workshop before modern technology.

What cars do you and Michael own?

RM: We have a small collection of cars including a 1927 Chevrolet, a 1938 Pontiac, a 1968 Leyland bus, a Hilux ute, a Toyota Prado and two LS Sprintcars which we race.

Do you or your staff actively compete in Motorsport? Does that play a role in the professional development of your team?

RM: Michael is currently near the top of the leader board for the local Sprintcar series and, for the last few years, Michael and his son Brian have competed in Targa Great Barrier Reef. Competing in motorsport has allowed us to get our brand out in the community, test new ideas for mechanical repairs and maintenance when building race cars, and for our staff to see their work in action. It is very valuable for staff to get to know our customer base and to get hands-on experience in a high-pressure environment.

Do you consider that the advancements in electric cars will have an impact on your business?

RM: Electric cars will still have mechanical parts so they will still need repairs. We look forward to tapping into the resources that MTAQ offers to get our team up to speed on advancements in electric vehicles in the mainstream automotive industry so that we can service them and repair them.

What has been the greatest benefit of your MTA Queensland membership?

RM: MTAQ is always there for advice. They know the latest best practice in the industry, from advancements in new technology through to HR and industrial relations. We also find that proudly displaying our MTAQ membership gives customers a sense of confidence that they can trust us as we are a member of a well-respected industry association.

CLICK HERE to visit the Hannam Street Mufflers website.

Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (October 2021)

14 October 2021