Despite the overall economic impacts of COVID-19 a range of local businesses are calling it ‘business as usual’ – one of those being Warwick’s Mal Wood Automotive on McEvoy Street.
The business is operating at “full capacity” according to Mal and the workshop remains a hum of activity.
Mal offers general vehicle servicing and repairs but a large part of his operation is the manufacture and supply of automotive transmissions, associated parts and drive line conversions – and that side of things has been largely unaffected by COVID-19.
The business manufactures many of its own components and is nationally-recognised for it – a fact of which Mal is proud, and to show it he recently installed a flagpole at the front of the workshop.
“It’s just about encouraging people to buy Australian-made in general and being proud of it,” Mal told the Free Times.
“We just wanted to fly the flag and also to encourage local people to continue to support locally-owned businesses in the region during these difficult times.”
At any given time the team can be found working on anything from the typical family car to hot rods, classic muscle cars and current-model performance cars.
Mal Wood began business back in 1976 as a self-described “driven 20 year old finding my way”, and after “an introduction to a 4 speed Toyota gearbox in a Holden 6 I found the direction that I would take”.
“It started from humble beginnings to sales in excess of 2000 Toyota 4 and 5 speed kits over the next two decades, now with over 40 years in the industry,” Mal says.
“We’ve become a leading transmission supplier in Australia and an ELITE Distributor for the TREMEC range of superior 5 and 6 speed transmissions.
“ACE clutch and Ultimate Street are brand names of Mal Wood Automotive and add to our wide range of associated products.”
