Back in 1977 Allan Crabb left his job with Chrysler and began working with Repco.
That was 45 years ago, and he hasn’t looked back since.
On Tuesday he celebrated the huge milestone for not only the Broken Hill store, but for Australia as he is the longest serving employee of the company nationwide.
The company has been operating for 100 years so this puts Allan’s tenure at almost half the organisation’s existence.
When he first started working for Repco, parts deliveries were made on a pushbike with a basket on the front.
The Broken Hill store is still in the same location as when Allan started, but he’s seen many changes in the time he has been with the motor parts retailer.
“Back in the old days we had to look up all the parts in books and catalogues.
“We had to know all the different sections and where to find the parts in the correct sections of the books,” he says.
“It might have been section five for welch plugs or one and two for pistons. The hardest thing was learning all your sections.
“Now it is all computerised the catalogues are all put in the computer.
“We used to have spark plugs, condensers, rotor buttons and points, but now all the cars are computerised.
“There is a lot of things you need to know these days. There isn’t just one type of battery, there is deep cycle and stop start.
“Even motor oil – in the old days it was just multigrade now you have zero weights, five weights and 10 weights,” says Mr Crabb.
He puts his longevity in the job and the company generally down to giving great customer service.
Allan has a passion for timeworn cars and motor bikes and has five older cars, mostly Holdens and Fords, as well as eight motor bikes all of which are Japanese.
Doing them up is a long-term project for one day when he retires but it doesn’t look like that day’s coming anytime soon.
Congratulations Allan on a real milestone in your career.
