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Lithium batteries
Why do they cost so much?
• Collaboration
• Science meets practice
• Mental wellbeing
• Industry thoughts
ATF Professional
J U N E 2 0 2 2
Conference Magazine
Green parts
The evolution of vehicle repair
The evolution of vehicle repair
VREAwards
Upcoming awards event for
Upcoming awards event for
vehicle recyclers
vehicle recyclers

SYNETIQ is the UK’s leading integrated
salvage and vehicle recycling company.
Salvage & auction Green parts
Mechanical solutions VRM data
www.synetiq.co.uk
an IAA company

3
ATF PROFESSIONAL
Following our last in-
person conference in 2019,
ATF Professional expanded
and launched its sister site
Auto Recycling World and
began to provide news and
information to the global
recycling community.
It wasn’t long into the
following year that the
world came to a standstill
with the COVID pandemic
taking precedence, and
we all faced a historical
unknown. There was so
much to contemplate with
fear on so many levels,
from keeping our families
safe and how to adjust
to working and running
businesses to how long
the pandemic would last
and what the future would
hold?
Throughout the pandemic,
we at Auto Recycling World
were able to speak to many
vehicle recyclers worldwide
ATF PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE
9TH
JUNE
2022
ATF Professional Conference Magazine is created by ATF Professional LLP
The views and opinions expressed by Vehicle Recycling News are solely those of the original authors and
other contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the editor, publisher
or staff of ATF Professional LLP.
and understand the
common challenges they
were all facing, including
the issues unique to them,
especially regarding the
individual government
responses and support
provided to them, if
any. Across the globe,
recyclers predominantly
showed their ability
to adapt and carry on,
which was reflected in
the editorial appearing
on both of our platforms.
The same was true in the
UK; developments and
plans may have been
delayed, but many took
the opportunity to reassess
and improve, which, when
implemented, had a bigger
impact on themselves and
those connected.
It is wonderful that after
so long, we can meet in
person again. It can be
argued that the pandemic
may have made our
industry stronger and
even more valued; It is
an industry I am sure
won’t rest on its laurels
and will strive for an even
more harmonious future,
especially as we look to
an era dominated by
sustainability and recycling
which our industry has a
valued part to play.
Sian Courtney - Editor
ATF Professional
Conference Magazine

ATF PROFESSIONAL
4
Tableofcontents
48
14
26
39
2
Science meets
practice – A scientific
view of Hensel
Recycling
Prof. Dr Kerstin
Kuchta, discusses the
important trends in
recycling.
Reflections on
unknown times
Industry expert,
Jason Cross
provides thoughts
on the changes the
industry has seen
since 2019.
From informal to
normal
Indian based online
scrapping service
provider, Scrapoto,
tells us more.
10
06
44 5
28
Driving change to
work in collaboration
with industry
stakeholders
Tony Simpson,
Immediate Past
President of the
Institute Of Automotive
Engineer Assessors
provides his thoughts.
Metal recycler’s rise to
excellence in international trade
Unlocking business efficiency
and cost savings with innovation
The evolution of Green Parts for vehicle repair
Dripping in new prod
The Vehicle Recycling Excellence
Awards

5
ATF PROFESSIONAL
22
34
Evolution or
Revolution
Mike Monaghan,
Director of Auto-
Motivate, discusses
the importance
of training in
the sector of our
mindset, mental
wellbeing, and
mental health.
The Ever-Changing Parts Landscape
SYNETIQ’s Green Parts Director Sarah
Hirst, discusses the current green parts
landscape and what methods have
been established to help elevate some
of the growing industry demands.
e
18
30
50
PUBLISHER & DIRECTOR
Haydn Davies
+44 1432 355099
haydn@atfpro.co.uk
EDITOR
Sian Courtney
+44 1432355099
sian@atfpro.co.uk
ADVERTISING
Haydn Davies
+44 1432 355099
haydn@atfpro.co.uk
CONTACT
+44 1432355099
+44 7447 107070
info@atfpro.co.uk
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From all angles – challenges in the
vehicle recycling industry
product and consumer fatigue
Why do lithium batteries
cost so much?
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced or transmitted by any
means without written permission of the
publisher.

ATF PROFESSIONAL
6
As an industry, we know that
approximately 25% of motor claims
result in a total loss. There are of course
many variables that are factored into
the decision to determine a vehicle as
‘end-of-life’. The extent of the damage
is fundamental but also the cost of
repair and time to repair. A vehicle may
well be deemed repairable initially,
but if the repair process takes too
long, costs increase and the reality of
an ‘uneconomical repair’ becomes
apparent.
OEM new parts availability and delivery
times have been heavily impacted by
the semi-conductor supply issues and
post-Brexit logistics. Delays in sourcing
parts have seen key-to-key times
and the entire motor claim life cycle
extending markedly. Associated credit
hire costs have escalated in tandem. It
stands to reason that for insurers, longer
key-to-key times mean inefficiencies,
increased motor claim costs and
decreased customer satisfaction. And
what of the effect on repair businesses?
Repairers are working on tight margins
and need to keep vehicles moving
JIM LOUGHRAN, CEO
E2E TOTAL LOSS VEHICLE MANAGMENT
UNLOCKING
BUSINESS
EFFICIENCY
AND COST
SAVINGS WITH
INNOVATION
Components catalogued and shelved

7
ATF PROFESSIONAL
through the workshop to maintain a
healthy cash flow. Vehicles with partially
complete repairs take up vital space
and when log jams appear so does the
associated failure demand. Everything
takes longer, more customers call in
more often, insurer claims departments
seek more updates, vehicles are moved
around more, mistakes multiply, rework
escalates and costs
and stress proliferate.
A partially repaired car
does not pay the bills.
Safe to say, it’s bad
news all-round.
There are many ways
that salvage and automotive recycling
partners can add value, reduce costs
and unlock efficiencies. End-of-life
vehicles are a valuable asset to insurers
and the value of that asset needs to be
realised quickly and efficiently to avoid
adding lost opportunity cost. End-of-life
vehicle value can be generated either
by selling the vehicle on for repair,
(assuming permissible salvage code), or
by dismantling and recycling the OEM
parts for re-use in motor claims repairs.
Those salvage partners who are also
automotive recyclers have the ability
to remarket a vehicle at auction, or
alternatively, the Authorised Treatment
Facilities [ATF] and expertise to recycle
its parts for re-use. e2e members deliver
strong salvage returns through our
auction site www.
salvagemarket.
co.uk and all are
ATFs, compliant
with Environment
Agency
requirements, and
follow dismantling
protocols that see them accredited to
the UK Standard for Reclaimed Parts by
the Vehicle Recyclers’ Association.
They are able to respond proactively to
market forces, providing insurer clients
with options so that they can extract
maximum value from the vehicle.
Organisations that only remarket and
sell vehicles for dismantling cannot.
e2e members deliver strong
salvage returns through its
auction site
www.salvagemarket.co.uk
Member site in operation

ATF PROFESSIONAL
8
Contact e2e
Call: 01325 35 26 26
Visit: www.e2etotalloss.com
Doors carefully stored to maintain condition
Feeding reclaimed parts back into the
insurance repair cycle not only helps
to un-block the repair log-jam but is
more ecologically friendly, supporting
sustainability and the drive for carbon
neutrality by reducing CO2 emissions.
Enabling access to reclaimed parts will
also reduce the number of vehicles
being declared end-of-life due to
uneconomical repair. This means the
repairer has more vehicles to repair and
can fulfil those instructions efficiently,
reducing key-to-key times. More
policyholders have a positive customer
experience and retain their vehicles.
The insurer retains more customers,
shortens motor claim life cycles and
associated credit hire periods and
reduces motor claims costs. Benefits
all-round.
The next question has to be can
technology and data assist a more
joined-up and efficient approach to
the use of reclaimed parts for the
insurer, repairer and salvage/automotive
recycling partner? In order to answer
this, we first have to look at potential
inefficiencies in existing systems and
business processes. It’s a stark fact that
every year, companies lose 20–30% of
revenues due to process inefficiencies.
Inefficiencies have an adverse effect
on the ability to deliver high-quality
customer experiences and they
confuse and frustrate staff, affect their
engagement and motivation, and
sometimes also contribute to burnout.
Employee turnover increases, which
increases human resource costs, and
once again impacts revenues and
profits.
Administrative and operational tasks
are inherently repetitive and often suffer
from inefficiencies. These tend to sneak
into a process over time, especially
during periods of business growth or
rapid change when teams are taking
on new tasks and responsibilities. Often
there is little time given to reviewing
the process needs, or whether the
process is still needed! This is due to the
nature in which tasks change through
their lifecycle. At the outset, during the
engagement of a new client or contract,
processes are matched closely to the
client or contract needs and often this is
achieved with a high level of efficiency.
However, these needs change over
time in an incremental manner; a small
adjustment here and a little change
there, stack up on top of one another
to produce processes that become less

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ATF PROFESSIONAL
Stacked vehicles at member site
Stacked vehicles at member site
and less efficient as time passes.
Obviously, we need to review our
processes on a regular basis, but there
is another element that impacts our
ability to do so. ERP, CRM, Workflow, BI
& MI are some of the common terms we
see used to describe the applications
that many back-office processes are
embedded within. These applications
are inherently customisable & flexible
and able to encode our processes
effectively at the outset, but as those
processes evolve it’s no longer an easy
task to modify the application to fit
changing needs.
Our processes become application
constrained rather than customer-
led. Processes embedded within
applications become a liability rather
than an asset.
On the surface, our IT systems and
applications may seem slick, but
how often are they reviewed against
evolving client and market needs? The
question we need to be asking is ‘Do my
processes serve my business and deliver
exceptional customer service or are
my trusted applications constraining
growth and success? Coming back to
the FNOL claims decision to repair or
total loss a vehicle; how might we as
salvage partners better support our
insurer clients in making informed
decisions? Is there the potential to
innovate and deliver a reclaimed parts
eco-system that works end-to-end,
feeding parts availability back into
the insurer clients’ claims assessment
process and the repairers’ estimating
process at the front end? This would
realise benefits to all parties involved in
the claim: insurer, policyholder, repairer
and salvage/automotive recycling
partner.
Has the time come where we need to
collaborate and look at opening up the
channels of data flow integration to
enable us to exploit to the maximum
the benefits that reclaimed parts can
not only offer the industry but also the
planet?

ATF PROFESSIONAL
10
Green parts save
money – typically as
much as 60% of RRP
Green parts reduce
waste and promote an
ethical, environmental
approach to vehicle
repair
The manufacturing of
new parts creates no
unnecessary Co2
Green parts are genuine
OEM manufactured parts
Green parts expedite
key to key times with
next day delivery, and
repairers can overcome
back-order parts issues
IAN
HILL
DIRECTOR
THE
GREEN
PARTS
SPECIALISTS
THE EVOLUTION OF GREEN PARTS
FOR VEHICLE REPAIR
Green parts are widely
accepted by customers
when their vehicle is
repaired following an
accident. They also
make sound commercial
sense and contribute
toward environmental
sustainability and the
insurance industry’s ESG
strategy in their pursuit
of reaching carbon
neutrality.
It is well publicised and
documented by insurers
that the repair industry
is experiencing a global
parts shortage which is
intensifying, increasing
a repairer’s key to key
times, extending hire
duration and amplifying
the time taken to book
a drivable vehicle in for
repair.
Insurers are effectively
producers of waste,
categorising category
B vehicles as unsuitable
for repair and sold to the
incumbent supplier of
salvage services, where
it should be broken for
spare parts, either here
in the UK or exported
abroad.
Vehicles processed by the
Green Parts Specialists
are utilised to drive parts
back into the repair chain,
with those insurers who
embrace the closed-loop
recycling methodology
realising the lowest
green parts prices in the
industry.

11
ATF PROFESSIONAL
www.green-parts.co.uk
With an opportunity
to embrace a circular
economy, this is the
perfect time for Insurers
to support their repair
networks by recycling
parts derived from their
own total loss portfolio
to repair their own
customers’ vehicles.
Delivering parts daily,
nationally, the Green
Parts Specialists decode
a repairer’s estimate,
returning results within
30 minutes. Quality
standards are industry-
leading, providing
undamaged Grade
A parts, or where our
team identify damage,
discounting the part so
a repairer can monetise
their labour rate. The
GPS team follow a
process that works to the
benefit of the repairer,
eliminating frictional
costs, which is why all of
our supplied panels are
delivered stripped unless
otherwise requested.
The uptake of green parts
for insurance vehicle
repairs has surged in the
last year, and whilst The
see parts fulfilment
figures in excess of 70%
for their clients, other
insurers may realise
much lower figures.
From a 26-acre facility
in the North West, the
operate with over
300,000 square feet of
warehousing,
capable
of storing
the largest
inventory of
quality assured
parts on the
shelves and
available
for delivery
through their
own fleet.
Complimented with
regional hubs, the Green
Parts Specialists meet
customer expectations
whilst remaining
environmentally-focused
on reducing the miles
driven to deliver vehicle
parts.
This is a paradigm for
building a model of
recycling which is self-
fulfilling and meets the
needs of repairers and
policyholders. Societal
shifts have created
a culture change to
choose environmentally
sustainable solutions
above others, so it makes
sense to work with a
company with an award-
winning solution and a
partnership approach to
success.

13
ATF PROFESSIONAL
Company Profile
www.e2etotalloss.com
e2e is the UK’s only salvage and
automotive recycling network, offering
more scale and reach than any other
industry provider. The network is made up
of progressive automotive recyclers with
over 50 accredited Authorised Treatment
Facilities throughout the country,
compliant with Environment Agency
requirements. We are unique in that we
offer a national service underpinned with
local knowledge.
The e2e fleet has over 480 recovery
vehicles and our member sites can house
over 30,000 vehicles in secure storage. We
recover 500,000+ vehicles p.a. on behalf of
our clients and depollute and dismantle
300,000+. Our clients benefit from access
to 5+million VRA quality graded, warranty
assured reclaimed parts, enabling them
to reduce their motor claims costs and
lifecycles and their carbon footprint.
We offer clients choice. The network
has the ability to remarket vehicles or to
dismantle them and recycle their parts
for re-use. Commercial arrangements,
tailored to client needs, are designed with
both options in mind. e2e’s online salvage
auction www.salvagemarket.co.uk delivers
maximum salvage resale values and fast
sales.
Our agility differentiates us from the large
corporate entities in the marketplace. We
have a board of directors who represent
the membership and are entrusted with
decision making that serves the network.
This means we can be highly reactive to
market forces and proactively respond
to clients’ emerging needs. Flexibility
is achieved through the application of
rigorous service standards against which
every member is audited to ensure
performance consistency across the
network. This enables the network to
flex its resources and draft in additional
support in the event of claims surges e.g.
as a result of regional flooding.
We offer a flexible, modular service,
allowing clients to outsource the entire
total loss process or to select specific
modules to meet their business
requirements. Modules include
emergency roadside recovery and storage,
negotiation of inherited storage charges,
assistance with vehicle documentation
and keys management, engineering
assessments by in-house AQP Qualified
Engineers, pre-accident valuation, total
loss valuation and settlement negotiation
with the policyholder. Crucially, e2e
removes risk and adds value to every
stage of the process, assuming full
accountability and providing total
transparency. All Cat A and Cat B vehicles
are depolluted, dismantled and destroyed
in-house, with Certificates of Destruction
issued by head office.
Market-leading customer service sits at
the heart of our proposition and we are
proud to be the first and only salvage and
automotive recycler to have been awarded
the BSI Customer Service Kitemark.
e2e Total Loss Vehicle Management

ATF PROFESSIONAL
14
SCIENCE MEETS
PRACTICE – A SCIENTIFIC
VIEW OF HENSEL
RECYCLING
BY PROF. DR KUCHTA
Prof. Dr Kerstin Kuchta has been a
permanent consultant at Hensel
Recycling on the topics of quality
management and environmental
management since 1998. The range of
topics has expanded more and more
such that she now also provides advice
about health and safety management.
With her long-standing commitment
and her scientific background, she has
provided a significant impulse to our
development since the founding of the
business. In a recent interview, among
other issues, we asked her about
important trends in recycling and the
measures she is recommending to
Hensel Recycling.
Prof. Dr Kuchta explained that the
general goal of waste management
is to keep all materials in circulation.
Recycling is suitable for metal, glass,
paper, and organic waste. These are
characterised by low wear in use and
ideally, they can be broken down into
individual components. Of course,
there are to some extent technical
limits: for example, aluminium
and magnesium alloys can only
be separated metallurgically with
difficulty. Recycling technology is
continuously advancing also here: with
innovative approaches, it is increasingly
possible to recycle complex plastics.
Even better than recycling is the
avoidance of waste, along with reuse
and longer usage. Anyone who uses
their mobile phone for several years -
instead of for an average 18-24 months
- is doing the environment a favour.
HENSEL RECYCLING

15
ATF PROFESSIONAL
Precious metals from recycling are
considered an important source for
covering the demand in industrial
production. That recycling is making
an important contribution to the
supply of precious metals is now also
known to society. Availability in mines
is dropping, and the mining of precious
metals is increasingly costly.
At the same time, recycling methods
are becoming ever more efficient.
Significantly less acid and energy are
now required for separation. Better
measuring technology (matrix method)
makes possible the specific recovery
of metals. Depending on the metal,
recycling is around 75–95 % better
for the environment than mining.
And if political crises occur in mining
countries, supply with secondary raw
materials is an important stabilising
factor for industrial businesses.
At Hensel
Recycling alone,
compared to
mining around
150,000 tonnes of
CO2 are saved per
year by recycling
platinum group
metals. This
corresponds to the CO2 absorbed by 12
million beech trees per year.
In the conversations between Prof.
Dr Kuchta and Hensel Recycling and
looking at the measures implemented,
it can be seen that the business is
very serious about environmental
management, quality management
and safety management. The signs of
the times were detected at an early
stage. Recycling methods are already
being developed for fuel cells with the
business’s participation in the research
project BEST4Hy. In this way, the
company is also safeguarding jobs over
the long term, because the business
Hensel Recycling is
very serious about
environmental
management,
quality
management and
safety management
related to automotive catalytic
converters will peter out in the coming
decades or, as a minimum, reduce
significantly.
The commitment to the Bavarian
Environmental Pact and the Cluster of
Environmental Technologies Bavaria
demonstrates that the company’s
ecological consciousness is integrated
deep in the company’s DNA. And the
new standard for occupational health
and safety (ISO 45001) completes the
pattern: here the focus is on the safety
of workers.

ATF PROFESSIONAL
16
Hensel Recycling contact details:
www.hensel-recycling.com
01403 792 500
uk@hensel-recycling.com
New directives and laws primarily
demand transparency from large
organisations. However, this demand is
often passed on from the “big players”
to the “small players”. This has always
been the case and is no different
for the German law related to due
diligence in delivery chains.
The aspiration at Hensel Recycling to
make delivery chains and processes
transparent for employees, customers
and the public has always existed. As
such the company is well-positioned
here. Best example: last year a code
of conduct – based on the German
association for precious metals,
Fachvereinigung Edelmetalle – was
introduced.
The exchange of ideas with Hensel
Recycling is personally important for
Prof. Dr Kuchta. She can cast an expert
eye at the company from the exterior,
raise awareness, identify blinkered
attitudes and provide suggestions
for improvements. In this way, Hensel
Recycling can scrutinise its processes
and set a benchmark compared to
other businesses. At the same time, she
can synchronise the work in science
with the practice at Hensel Recycling.
The knowledge transfer, therefore,
occurs in both directions.
As a consultant with many years
of experience and her scientific
background, Prof. Dr Kuchta considers
the currently formulated goal of
climate neutrality most definitely as a
positive development. With the internal
implementation of the project for the
photovoltaic installations, an important
contribution can be made here.
Moreover, she would like to encourage
further investment in automation,
sensors and artificial intelligence. In
this way processes can be improved,
the quality of the recycled material
obtained evaluated more quickly
and more reliably, and material flows
optimised.

17
your first
choice
OUR EXPERIENCE.
YOUR PEACE OF MIND.
Reliable services and our passion for the
conservation of precious metals make
Hensel Recycling your first choice –
for more than 20 years.
www.hensel-recycling.com

ATF PROFESSIONAL
18
FROM ALL ANGLES – CHALLENGES IN THE
VEHICLE RECYCLING INDUSTRY
ANTONIA
GREY,
HEAD
OF
POLICY
AND
PUBLIC
AFFAIRS
BRITISH
METALS
RECYCLING
ASSOCIATION
BMRA
April saw some big
changes to the sector.
BMRA continuously
pressed the Government
for an extension to
the removal of our
entitlement to use
red diesel. We pointed
out that many yards
cannot connect to the
grid and, even if they
could, an electric plant
suitable for use in a scrap
yard simply does not yet
exist. Moreover, the loss of
our entitlement comes at
a time when companies
are facing a large
increase in electricity
costs following Ofgem’s
changes to its charging
structure. But there’s
more…
Conditionality
April also saw the
introduction of
conditionality. Another
hoop to jump through in
order to renew your Scrap
Metal Dealers licence.
Given it is nine years
since the introduction of

19
ATF PROFESSIONAL
licensing under the Scrap
Metal Dealers Act 2013,
many licences will be up
for renewal given they are
valid for three years. This
year, however, in order
to complete the renewal
process, operators will
have to log on to their
Gateway account and
answer specific questions
to prove they are tax
compliant. They will then
be issued with a code
that they will have to add
into a new box in the
licence renewal form. In
short, no code, no licence.
When HMRC first
consulted on this
proposal and indicated
its intention to start off
with scrap metal dealers
and the taxi/private hire
sector, the BMRA asked
how they had chosen
these two sectors. No
answer was forthcoming,
we sent in a freedom
of information request
asking what evidence
HMRC had that there was
wide-scale tax avoidance
in the scrap metal sector.
Interestingly, this request
was denied as “not being
in the public interest”.
BMRA shared its
concerns that, rather
than bring operators into
compliance, it would
more likely drive some
out of the licensing
regime altogether. While
not overly onerous,
once again legitimate
operators are having to
jump through another
hoop while unlicenced
are not being tackled.
We strongly suggest that
HMRC when working
with Local Authorities
in setting up this new
regime places some
onus on the LA to check
when operators do not
renew their licence if they
have genuinely ceased
trading, or they are
trading without a licence
rather than become
fully tax compliant. If no
checks are undertaken,
I fear that HMRC will
not see the surge in tax
compliance amongst
scrap metal dealers that
it is expecting.
This would entail there
being adequate funding
in place to enable
licencing officers to carry
out this task, despite not
being afforded enough
budget to enforce the Act
as it stands.
Let’s talk about fires
Barely a week goes by
when we don’t hear
about a fire in the waste
and recycling sector.

ATF PROFESSIONAL
20
01480 455249
admin@recyclemetals.org
www.recyclemetals.org
Some arrive legitimately,
collected at a household
waste and recycling site
(HWRC), for example.
Some are placed in the
recycling bins (some still
in appliances); maybe
due to lack of knowledge
or apathy. From studies
done on incinerator
bottom ash, we know it
their WEEE. Not everyone
can put WEEE out in the
hope that a mobile scrap
collector might take it.
Not all batteries will fit in
the collection receptacles
found in places such as
supermarkets.
Take householders out
of the equation and
introduce kerbside
collection of both
batteries and WEEE.
But who will pay?
Producers? Local
Authorities (ergo
householders)? Do we
need to go further back
and look at the battery
manufacturers? Or do
we need a combination
of all three? Whatever
route is chosen, however,
it will only be successful
if everyone recognises
the problem and agrees
it will take a joint effort to
fix it.
Of course, these
issues are in the
main related to waste
electrical and electronic
equipment (WEEE) and
understanding how these
batteries are ending up in
the waste stream.
has been put into the
residual waste stream.
Not everyone can get to
an HWRC or a recycling
facility. Not everyone can
afford to pay a (licenced?)
waste carrier to dispose of
Apart from the odd
case of arson, in the
main, the finger of
blame points firmly in
the direction of lithium-
ion batteries. With an
ever-increasing number
of these batteries being
placed on the market,
this is not a problem that
is going to go away. As an
ATF, the rise in electric-
ELV and people choosing
to ‘hide’ items in bulkier
items – a car is perfect
(think gas cannisters),
nobody is immune to
the possibility it could
happen at their yard
causing thousands of
pounds of damage, or
worse, kill someone.

London & Home Counties largest salvage operator
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Over 1m green/recycled parts available through the
Green Parts Specialist network
ISO:9001, 14001 & 27001 accredited
In-house AQP qualiﬁed vehicle assessors
All Cat A & B vehicles de-polluted, dismantled and
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Responsible and fully compliant vehicle recycling solutions
Best practice, best value and always best in class!
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Setting the standards in
VEHICLE RECYCLING
VEHICLE RECYCLING

ATF PROFESSIONAL
22
Sarah
Hirst
Green
Parts
Director
THE
EVER-CHANGING
PARTS
LANDSCAPE As one of the new faces at SYNETIQ
Ltd, an IAA (NYSE: IAA) company and
the UK’s leading vehicle recycling
and dismantling company, Green
Parts Director Sarah Hirst shares her
thoughts on the current green parts
landscape and what methods have
been established to help elevate some
of the growing industry demands.
First of all, it’s fantastic to once again
be part of the ATF Conference – as a
sponsor of the event, we’re proud to
show our support.
As the Green Parts Director at SYNETIQ,
it seemed only fitting to discuss the
topic of green parts and take a look at
some of the issues we’re all facing as an
industry but also give readers a glimpse
of what we’re up to behind the scenes.
The main purpose of my role at
SYNETIQ is to help ensure that as
a business we are supporting our
customers and clients to the very
SYNETIQ

23
ATF PROFESSIONAL
best of our abilities by offering an
irreplaceable service which is then
cascaded down through the repair
network, resulting in a happy end
customer. I do hope that many see us
as an extension of their own team and
that we’re here to help and provide
advice where we can.
I am very much in the belief that we are
all in this together to help solve some
of the issues we’re facing today. It is
essential that insurers and providers
work alongside us to ensure parts are
put back into the repairer network – this
collaborative approach is important
now more than ever.
Communication and understanding
customers’ needs are key. Since starting
at SYNETIQ, I’ve travelled up and down
the country visiting customers, listening
to each and every one of them and
looking at ways we can provide support.
It has become clear that with the
back-order situation on new parts,
end-customers are experiencing longer
vehicle off road times.
The pace within the industry is also
increasing. With COVID restrictions
being lifted and drivers now getting
back out on the roads, body shops are
getting busier with 38% of repairers
reporting a higher work level than in
2019* – what is good news is that they
are turning to quality used parts to help
with their supply issues, with 71%* now
fitting green parts.
When looking back across the last
three years, it really has brought to light
how fragile the automotive industry’s
international supply chain could be.
COVID wreaked havoc across supply
chains as manufacturing new parts
[became more and more difficult]
due to factory closures, leading to an
increase in back orders waiting to be
fulfilled. This has been frustrating for
body shops.
The impact of COVID has cast such an
uncertainty of parts availability that the
issue is now ranked the third biggest
threat to our industry according to a
recent report issued by the Auto Body
Professionals Club (ABP). So what can
we do about it?

ATF PROFESSIONAL
24
www.synetiq.co.uk
At SYNETIQ, we’ve put procedures in
place to ensure we’re supporting these
customers and fulfilling their needs.
We recently established a dedicated
back-order team that looks into issues
regarding certain parts that are hugely
in demand and focuses on getting as
many of these in stock as possible.
We also review sales information daily to
identify specific parts that consistently
sell from vehicles and ensure the parts
are added to the inventory and are
available for sale as quickly as possible.
Speed is everything when it comes to
getting the vehicle back on the road so
having these parts on hand and ready
to go is vital.
Customers have expressed concerns
regarding an increase in catalytic
converter thefts, particularly in South
East England. We responded to this
trend by establishing a contact email
address for customers to access when
urgently needing a replacement
converter.
We urge our customers to come
forward to us with any issues they’re
up against as we want to be the
solution that ultimately gets vehicles
back on the road quicker, gives the
end customer a positive experience
and provides a cost-effective and
sustainable alternative to new parts for
the insurer and repairer.
I do see collaboration between insurers,
repairers, and businesses like ourselves
as the answer to many of the problems
we’re facing as an industry. By working
together we can continue to shift
the perception of ‘used’ parts and it’s
positive that we’re already seeing a shift
in the acceptance of using parts as the
pressure to be more carbon neutral
increases.
Our recent acquisition by IAA provides
an exciting time for everyone at
SYNETIQ and for our customers - we’re
looking forward to sharing the progress
on our integration throughout the year
and the impact this will have on our
green parts offering.
There is still lots to discuss and ways to
improve, therefore I do welcome any
questions and queries. Please get in
touch if you feel we can help.
You can contact me at sarah.hirst@
synetiq.co.uk
*ABP Club – State of the Industry Report

25
ATF PROFESSIONAL
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e 1
1 Page 1
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6/2018 16:31 Page 1
12/06/2018 16:31 Page 1
yout 1 12/06/2018 16:31 Page 1

ATF PROFESSIONAL
IAEA -INSTITUTE OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER ASSESSORS
DRIVING CHANGE TO WORK IN
COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRY
STAKEHOLDERS
26
IAEA’S CORE FUNCTIONS ARE:
• TO PROMOTE EDUCATION IN THE DESIGN
AND REPAIR OF MOTOR VEHICLES
• TO ASSIST GOVERNMENT BODIES IN THE
INTERESTS OF ROAD SAFETY
• TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO
MANUFACTURERS AND MOTORING
ORGANISATIONS
Tony Simpson,
Immediate Past
President of the IAEA
he Institute of
Automotive Engineer
Assessors (IAEA) was
founded in 1932 to
represent the Engineer
Assessor Professional.
Membership of the
IAEA is determined
by a combination
of both experience
and qualifications. In
addition to complying
with the Institute’s
examination and training
requirements, it is
necessary for prospective
candidates applying for
admission as members
to have a minimum of
two years of assessing
experience within the
profession.
Members adhere to a
stringent Continuous
Professional
Development program,
completing thirty
hours of study per year,
including attending our
regional monthly lecture
programs and other
training material.
The IAEA were
instrumental in
constructing the
stringent AQP
examination for the
categorising of motor
vehicle salvage for the
ABI. This was introduced
in 2017 in line with the
revised ABI Salvage
Code of Practice. This
has created an effective
uniformed standard in
quality of engineering
and the categorising of
salvage.
T

27
www.iaea-online.org
The IAEA is committed to
maintaining the highest
standards in engineering
expertise in new and
emerging technologies
and innovations.
Working alongside
ATF Professional is a
welcome opportunity
to drive change and
collaborate with
industry stakeholders
in developing and
prompting dialogue
and understanding of
our mutual disciplines.
This will provide effective
communication
in sharing ideas
and experiences,
ultimately achieving
both professional and
mutual respect and
understanding in how
our respective operations
can achieve greater
synergy and cooperation
for an effective process
from initial accident to
final end of life resolution.
The evolving,
revolutionary green
recycling initiative is
one of the most exciting
industry developments
over the last quarter of
a century. The IAEA are
thrilled to play its part
in this rollout, which has
taken time over recent
years to find acceptance
in society. However, with
the significant benefits
of a sustainable green
future, the public at
large is really starting
to embrace this new
revolution in addressing
climate change and
protecting the planet
from the influence of
fossil fuels and excessive
production.
The green parts
revolution will provide
greater and clearer
transparency in the
use of quality assured
green parts, which will
transform possible
total loss vehicles into
repairable vehicles,
saving the consumer
the anguish of losing
their vehicle and now
having it returned
following a successful
repair using preowned
or used parts, which
have the exact same life
cycle of the damage/
broken component part
removed.
The journey has begun
with stakeholders,
insurers and fleet
customers embracing
this exciting initiative.
ATF PROFESSIONAL
A considerable amount
of work is still required
to instil confidence
in the market and
the providence of
the parts with a clear
grading standard of
parts. However, this
will be soon, and
the misconception
of the horror phrase
“secondhand parts” will
be eradicated once and
for all.

ATF PROFESSIONAL
28
28
All along the track of a vehicle as
it heads toward dismantling and
reduction to its basic elements there
are specialists to be found. The Vehicle
Recycling Excellence Awards are all
about recognising those specialists and
applauding their efforts.
So, for anyone wanting to enter the
Awards and be seen as a specialist at
one or more points along the track
of a vehicle being recycled, it is worth
holding the fundamental aims of the
Awards in mind when preparing your
entries.
• Are you good at what you do?
• Are you able to tell the judges
about how good you are?
• Are you proud of the staff who
work on vehicle recycling?
• Are you keen to innovate and
improve your processes and
services?
• Are you keen to see the vehicle
recycling industry move
forward?
Now, you may not need to answer all
those questions, but they are worth
bearing in mind when preparing your
entries.
What do you need to do to enter
the Vehicle Recycling Excellence
Awards?
First, you need to read through
the category list and decide which
categories you wish to enter.
Remember, you can enter as many
categories as you wish, and the
entry fee reduces for any second or
subsequent entries.
Next, assemble the information you
need to make your entry. There may be
subtle differences between what you
may need to present for each category.
Then, you will need to write your
submission. There is a limit on
the number of words in any one
submission. While 1,500 words seems
a lengthy essay, a complex submission
will quickly chew through that number.
You can supply additional information
VREAWARDS

29
ATF PROFESSIONAL
29
www.vreawards.co.uk
to support your submission (see below).
Once you have written your submission
you will need to create a 100-word
summary of your entry.
Will you need to provide additional
support material?
Printed material, marketing material,
branded items, photographs and video
can all be used to great effect in helping
the judges to understand the case you
are making. Please think about how you
can support your entry, bearing in mind
that any picture or branded material
will help to make the presentation of
your case more visually interesting.
At the very least, please submit a
high-resolution file of your company’s
logo and an electronic version of a
photograph that best illustrates your
entry.
How should you submit the
information?
The whole of your entry – entry form,
submission paper, payment, support
documents, picture or video material,
promotional literature or giveaways –
can be submitted online. If you prefer,
you can provide a URL to a microsite
containing the visual material, that the
judges can access.
General entry information
Your written entry should not exceed
1,500 words (12 point type, single line
spacing) saved in PDF format (10MB
maximum file size), uploaded to the
Vehicle Recycling Excellence Awards’
website at www.vreawards.co.uk
Template guide
Your entry should show how your
company met its aims, employed
innovative techniques, developed new
products or services, employed effective
marketing to promote products
or expertise, was of real benefit to
customers/users, and, when relevant,
delivered client satisfaction and a
return on investment. Everything else
you need to provide is explained on
the Useful Advice page of the Awards
website.
Support material
If you wish to provide additional
support material please provide a
URL to a supporting microsite in
your submission paper, as well as the
primary URL to your business website.
Entry fees
Please refer to the Entry Fees page for
full information on fees and payment.

ATF PROFESSIONAL
30
DRIPPING IN NEW PRODUCT
AND CONSUMER FATIGUE
VIEWPOINT
Welcome to the end of things!
Fresh out of more than two years of
unparalleled economic disruption,
not everywhere is suffering from an
almighty economic downturn fuelled
by profligate spending by the ruling
elite. Yet, the automotive business, for
the most part, faces ruin.
Let’s dig a bit deeper.
Europe decided to push for never-
ending reductions in tailpipe emissions,
introducing not only member state-
level tax incentives but also a direct tax
on vehicle manufacturers for each gram
of carbon dioxide emitted over the fleet
average target. The tax was planned for
2019, and after lobbying by ACEA failed
to stop this, most vehicle manufacturers
got on with compliance.
The result was, in effect, doubling
product variants – a mix of internal
combustion engine powertrains with
mild electric hybrid assistance through
ANDREW MARSH FIMI

31
ATF PROFESSIONAL
to pure electric powertrains for Europe
and other – more profitable – mixes
for non-European markets. The USA
woke up and liked what it saw – and
the campaign migrated. Indeed, most
major vehicle manufacturer home
markets expressed intent to adopt the
EU emission control model.
Just before March 2020, there were a
series of fires and electrical outages
that severely damaged the supply
of microprocessors – especially the
older products favoured by the vehicle
manufacturers and their component
suppliers. The production issues
that arose were not easily fixed. The
pandemic led directly to the first
major strategic error, where most
vehicle manufacturers simply stopped
- including orders for microprocessors.
Yet demand for consumer goods, which
also tended to use the same legacy
microprocessors, boomed during the
lockdowns.
When the long haul back to production
began, the mistake was revealed. In
effect, the microprocessor production
slots had already been sold to other
customers. Literally, key components
became scarce. The lockdowns rolled
on…
PLANNING AND THE
GREAT UNPLANNED
EVENTS
Leading up to 2019, vehicle
manufacturers planned to build
enough ‘electrified’ vehicles to boost
their image and negate or even
eliminate EU tax penalties. This required
new commodities such as traction
motors, traction batteries, power
controllers and cooling systems for the
high voltage components.
© Copyright BMW AG, Munich (Germany)
BMW iX 5th gen powertrain front and rear motor assy

ATF PROFESSIONAL
32
THE BIGGEST
AUTOMOTIVE MARKET
IN THE WORLD
For a few years, China has overtaken the
USA as the biggest automotive market
in the world, and yet…. there has been
surprisingly little innovation. Automotive
The whole process was kicked off
during the early years of this century,
culminating in the Euro VI disaster,
which demonstrated the chaos
legislators could unleash. The crisis
deepened by 2015 when the first
contract failures for traction batteries
emerged, leaving major manufacturers
with planned production and no way
to complete it. For example, Mercedes-
Benz EQC production was limited for
three years because the company had
simply failed to buy enough battery
cells at the right time.
© Mercedes-Benz AG
Vehicle manufacturers discovered their
offer to pay for goods, and services
did not have the same clout as other
companies ahead of them in the queue
for finite resources. Meanwhile, the plan
rumbled on.
By March 2020, the very time most of
the electrified product was supposed
to reach the market in Europe, the
lockdown season began. The new car
market tanked, stock was piled up
everywhere, and the big campaigns to
promote this new product line were left
in tatters. The change since then?
The products planned years ago just
keep arriving, and the market confusion
simply deepens.
Critically, Tesla took a different path.
They used off-the-peg semiconductors
frequently found inside computers
and smartphones to avoid the trap of
being tied to older production facilities
– they pursued sourcing flexibility
rather than saving fractions of a cent. In
addition, Tesla had the biggest traction
battery order book outside of China
and established a partnership with
Panasonic. There were component
shortages, but the effect was minimal
compared to their peers.

33
ATF PROFESSIONAL
Contact Andrew at andrew.marsh@autoindustryconsulting.com
THE CONCERN
The flurry of ‘electrification’ hides
both ambitious and not so ambitious
products, which means each launch
dilutes instead of builds. There are the
endless reviews from ‘influencers’ who
promote or destroy each new vehicle as
it arrives on a whim.
One example. Volvo XC40 is available
with MHEV, PHEV and also EV. The
latter – Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge
– is based on the same steering,
technology transfer to China has been
underway for more than three decades.
The huge drive to sell pure electric
vehicles is more about the fastest
practical way to alter air quality in the
overheated Eastern city economies
rather than saving the planet.
We are now exposed to vehicle designs
that have more to do with the target
audience in China than in our markets.
Tell-tales include shots of the rear
passenger seat (more important than
the front seats in China), excess ‘surface
entertainment’ both inside and out,
along with an emphasis on connectivity.
The latest generation of BMW 7 series,
the scene-setter for the whole range,
has an electronic screen ‘plank’ option
nailed to the headliner, like a refugee
from McDonald’s. Understated class?
Not here.
The China market has been famous for
endlessly benchmarking products, and
recycling perceived successful ideas in
the hope of success. After four decades
of this formula, it has yet to succeed
outside of China.
suspension, brakes, bodyshell and
safety systems as the other versions.
The damming review? ‘It feels like an
ICE conversion’. Well, it is, and it carries
400kg more weight, which makes the
ride easier to optimise. No excuse, really.
© Volvo Car Group
Volvo XC40 BIW with materials guide
This illustrates the problem. Each model
family takes between 18 months and
seven years to create, and if the number
of models is doubled, and those
models have to appear close together…,
shortcuts have been taken. The danger
is this bulge of product will appear to
be indistinguishable. New car? New
phone? New fridge freezer? Even
though one of these products typically
weighs more than 1200kg, has upwards
of 25000 components, and has more
computing power than anything else
we own, it is the car that is relegated to
a ‘blank’.
The question: Is the confusion an
opportunity?
© Volvo Car Group
Volvo CMA T5 Twin
Engine

ATF PROFESSIONAL
34
Evolution or Revolution
Auto-Motivate
Mike Monaghan,
Director - Auto-Motivate
I was invited to write
this piece and maybe
illustrate a link between
life and business, even
more, the salvage
industry and those
who work within it.
So, I scrapped my first
thought, and then on
reflection, I decided I
needed to recycle it. Go
on, you’ve got to grant
me that one!
They say everything
changes, and for the
most part, that is true.
Indeed, business change
is relentless. Change
is only a perspective;
some won’t recognise
it, and others will refuse
to accept it, but that
does not mean it’s not
happening. We can’t
predict the future, but we
can help shape it!
This includes both
for business and
for ourselves. I was
recently invited to run
a series of my mindset
development courses for
e2e in Darlington. Now
I’ve been in the collision
industry for over 45 years
and have witnessed a
massive change in all
industry sectors over
those years. The pioneers,
entrepreneurs and
thought leaders are the
ones in any industry
that drive and shape
the future through their
visions.
The real challenge is
not the creation of new
ideas but getting a
whole industry made
up of a complex range
of individuals, each
with differing views,
personalities, and
opinions, to enable the
speed of such change to

35
ATF PROFESSIONAL
CHANGE IS ONLY
A PERSPECTIVE;
SOME WON’T
RECOGNISE IT,
AND OTHERS
WILL REFUSE TO
ACCEPT IT, BUT
THAT DOES NOT
MEAN IT’S NOT
HAPPENING.
be accelerated or having
the brakes applied, often
without knowing, such is
the power of our minds.
How we see change is
primarily viewed by most
in the first instant under
the adage of the flight,
flight, and freeze modes
in our thinking unless
you’re the creator. It’s
an instinctive and rapid
brain response.
They say that an idea is
only as good as the team
who drives it. I witnessed
in Darlington, a team
whose minds are wide
open to suggestions,
change, but for certain,
the slowest in the moving
of all parts is people. It’s
the most complex and
costly variable often
neglected when creating
change models.
Essentially, any business
can be divided into three
key aspects: product,
process, and
people. You
can have the
best or most
comprehensive
range of
products and
elaborate
processes with
technology
and systems
thinking, but
it’s when the
human
decides it’s
having a bad day that the
other moving parts are
going to be affected.
The world is changing,
and not just in what we
can see close to hand or
on social media channels,
but on a global scale
and at a rate that the
human still finds very
uncomfortable adjusting
to. We are not yet fully
developed, equipped,
or understanding of
the impacts of this
speed in our lives. It
affects behaviours,
moods, feelings, and
performance
every day.
Today,
businesses
must look
differently
at their
models and
include more
awareness
training in
the sector of
mindset,
mental
wellbeing, and mental
health.
It’s just like the evolution
we have all witnessed in
the development of the
salvage industry over the
last 30 years. From the
ideas, and creative
thinking. Why is this
important? You know
why!
Business will change, the
speed can vary, and we
cannot always control
or predict the outcome
or collateral impacts of

ATF PROFESSIONAL
36
old scrap yard days of
zero health and safety on
any level to today, where
we are overwhelmed
by legislation, rules,
and restrictions. If we
are truthful about the
changes we’ve witnessed,
would you agree that the
people have, in that time,
adapted well or do we still
have a blind spot to these
wider things?
Why do we have acute
skills shortages and an
ageing demographic
workforce right across
our industry? Our ability
and image for those who
know it can witness those
incredible changes. But
perception is only the
individual’s version of the
truth; it does not mean
it’s true.
So, is your perception
of the industry just your
version or could it be
viewed differently by
others, those close and
those far away?
Even at the human level,
we must now consider
those three key things
in relation to our future
and its workforce. Do we
have the right people for
the future direction and
speed of the business?
Can they cope with the
speed of change? Are
they willing and able
to adapt their thinking
to the new processes?
Can they change their
processes in the way they
think?
It’s always about people,
unless their vision and
dreams can be achieved
within the workplace,
the variables will require
intensive dismantling
and recycling to be
deemed fit for purpose
and of equal matching
quality.
You can contact
Mike on 07496 543555
or visit
www.auto-motivate.com

37
ATF PROFESSIONAL
For all your non-technical and
soft skills training requirements.
For a comprehensive range
of mindset development
courses suitable for all staff.
Mike Monaghan
M +44 7496 543555 | E mike@auto-motivate.com | www.auto-motivate.com
team building
customer service
mindset
coaching
transitional
leadership
culture
heat
mapping
recruitment
group development
management
change management
on-boarding
people mapping
psychological safety

39
ATF PROFESSIONAL
JASON
CROSS
INDUSTRY
EXPERT
REFLECTING
ON
UNKNOWN
TIMES
2019 seems like a lifetime
ago when I spoke at the
last ATF Professional
conference, and when I
did, I don’t think anyone
saw the pandemic
coming our way and
all the challenges that
would ensue.
At that time, several
salvage/green parts
companies had started
trials with insurers
around the use of green
reclaimed parts. This was
approached in a very
measured way, as the
volumes being handled
were extremely large
compared to what vehicle
recyclers were used to
supplying. It required
some joined-up thinking
and engagement from
insurers, bodyshops, and
recyclers. By this time,
pretty much every insurer
in the UK had the use
of green parts written
into their policies, so
technically/legally, that
was not a barrier. It was
important to most to get
PH approval where green
parts were available and
would be included in the
parts process. It began
with write-off avoidance,
especially around a
certain range of OE only
parts such as doors, boot
lids and tailgates.
VIEWPOINT
Trust was earned
between those involved,
with the recycler
delivering high-quality
service promises. Also,
what was integral was the
bodyshops’ engagement
with the policy/vehicle
owners and that they
were using the correct
language to explain the
perceived advantages of
using green parts.
When the pandemic
began in early 2020,
car recyclers were
identified as essential
and largely remained
fully operational. Critical
and standard new
parts supply chains
simply dried up. Vehicle
dismantlers themselves
had to implement new
working environments
allowing for safe working;

40
in many cases, they
could socially distance
and keep producing
parts in large volumes.
It also allowed/forced
most, if not all, Admin,
IT and Salesforces to
work from home, which
required a fresh look
at how companies
communicated internally
with colleagues and
externally with clients
who had to engage with
suppliers more efficiently
using computer services.
The workforce had to
adapt to working from
home and create a
practical hybrid solution
to ensure that yards
continued to operate.
Although, as expected,
with the country in
lockdown, volumes of
vehicles involved in
collisions were low, the
availability of green parts
became essential to
many, especially for fleets
involved with keeping
the country supplied,
emergency services and
other front line workers
who battled throughout
such a testing time for all.
A great deal was going
on in the industry around
this time too. There
was a real focus put on
inventory and quality
with the introduction
and adoption of the VRA
standardisation project.
This standard, which
most, if not all, motivated,
forward-thinking vehicle
recyclers signed up to,
was and still remains
a game-changer in
improving the inventory
and processes of all
involved. eBay stepped
up and funded the first
200 adopters as they
could see the broad
benefits of backing such
a scheme on their own
platform, and of course,
it would benefit many
others too.
By this time, insurers
were openly stating their
own desires and how
having such a standard
would help them
navigate through some
murky waters in terms of
parts quality/provenance.
I think it’s very important
to say that this standard
is independently
certified. Although eBay
helped immensely with
the funding, it is very
much there to set and
drive standards of parts,
and the companies that
adhere to it, can and
do sell via all available
channels.
The bigger operators in
the green parts space
are more than likely
selling via two of the
three main platforms,
requiring the buyer to
provide an estimate for a
parts search conducted
by recyclers’ staff. At the
same time, the smaller
operators can benefit
significantly from online
platforms where parts
are pushed up to an
online shop. The quality
of the images, parts data,
delivery, and product
in all three channels is
paramount.
The market for green
parts has grown
significantly since 2019
now that the insurers
have engaged. There
is pressure on recyclers

41
ATF PROFESSIONAL
well-funded facilities with
highly trained staff in all
departments managing
clients who demand
a level of service that
meets that of traditional
suppliers in the new
parts environments. I
would even go so far as
to say that in many cases,
recyclers, for several years
now, have exceeded
that offer in the new
parts space, and that
has eradicated some of
the old ways which were
present. I don’t believe
that recyclers will do
anything other than
improve more and at a
faster pace than ever.
The challenge will be
keeping up with those
organisations that want
to engage with us in
even more staggering
numbers. The industry
needs to put its efforts
into dedicated, well-
organised front, middle
and end supply chain
processes and IT systems
to get better at their
inventory processes,
including part numbers
and grading, to meet
the needs of the current
requests hitting recyclers.
In addition, how recyclers
receive parts requests
is changing; automated
links (APIs) are now
commonplace; working
with IT companies such
as Audatex/Solera, GT
Motive and CAP lists for
parts are being pushed
into recyclers’ IT systems
via the bodyshops’ own
management software
for part number matches
which are essential,
together with correct,
reliable grading and
pricing. My advice is
to either push your
inventory up to an online
platform for online
sales if that’s where you
have greater access to
customers or get much
better at automated
matching and supply
parts seamlessly and in
ever greater numbers
- inventory, inventory,
inventory!
Modern vehicle recycling
companies are now very
much becoming large,

ATF PROFESSIONAL
42
that will deliver OE
green parts on time, as
described, but in ever
greater numbers.
With over two million
repair estimates
produced every year,
sustainability pledges
made by almost every
large institution, the
ever-increasing pressure
on ordinary family
budgets and supply
chain blockages, the
opportunity is right there
for the taking and for
all the right reasons for
a great many. We talk
about perfect storms
and taking opportunities
when it comes. With
the momentum behind
green parts, major
insurers will sanction the
use of ‘green’ parts if they
have not done so already
on OE only specific items;
the top of that list is
doors (both van and car),
followed by tailgates and
boot lids. I cannot think
of a single reason why
these items should not
be the FIRST CHOICE
for any repair in all but
a handful of cases. If it’s
available and the quality
is assured, and the cost
savings are correct, then
why shouldn’t they be
buying reused parts!
So much has happened
since 2019. The
pandemic, although
horrendous, has taught
us many lessons. The
industry has continued
to stay focused, and, in
some ways, it has helped
us further realise the
role that we play when
it comes to providing
solutions and, more
importantly, helping
make the planet greener.
Focus is still needed,
and we really don’t want
to drop the ball after so
much effort. I, for one,
can’t wait to see the
developments that are
going to take place in the
future. There are so many
dedicated individuals
and businesses out there
determined to make the
vehicle industry fit for
the 21st century and play
a bigger role in keeping
vehicles on the road.
Attitudes are significantly
changing, and public
perceptions and
expectations are
changing regarding
environmental
responsibility, which no
organisation can ignore.
Vehicle recycling has
always been there to
provide these solutions,
and now it is more
important than ever to
promote the important
role that it plays.

ATF PROFESSIONAL
44
On the back of the
Midlands’ largest
independent metal
recycling and waste
management specialist
being honoured with
the Queen’s Award for
Excellence in International
Trade in 2022, we spoke to
Thomas Ward to chart the
firm’s rise from humble
beginnings to global
recognition in metal
exports.
When Donald Ward
established his single
site scrap metal site over
eight decades ago, few
could have predicted the
business would become
the Midlands’ largest
independent metal
recycling and waste
management specialist
with a global reputation.
Today, the multi-site
fourth-generation family
business achieves a
turnover of nearly £300
million per year, processing
around one million tonnes
of material for recycling
annually.
Where Ward began
Now headquartered
in Ilkeston, Derbyshire,
Donald Ward Limited was
incorporated in December
1976, although the business
commenced trading in
Swadlincote, Derbyshire,
back in the 1940s. Founded
by Donald Ward, the
grandfather of current
Directors David Ward Snr
and Michael Ward, the
business initially handled
scrap steel, predominantly
from the National Coal
Board and the coal mines
and the electricity sector,
working with several local
power stations. Back
then, the materials were
sold on to UK Steelworks,
Foundries or other UK
metal merchants.
Investment and
innovation
The post-war era scrap
steel market saw little
investment in equipment,
and the business relied
heavily on manual labour
METAL RECYCLER’S
RISE TO EXCELLENCE IN
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Thomas Ward,
Commercial Director

45
ATF PROFESSIONAL
infrastructure. It’s a
formula that has paid
dividends; currently, Ward
operates across 11 sites,
employing around 400
employees directly and
hundreds more through
supply chain.
In 2002, Ward invested
£5m in a second site
before opening a further
three along the M1 corridor,
with additional investment
on the horizon.
A solid reputation for
vehicle recycling
Around eighty percent
of the business’ turnover
is the processing and
recycling of metals from
sources, including
end-of-life vehicles (ELVs),
an area which has been
the focus of further
investment.
In Ilkeston, a 3,000hp
Mesto Lindemann
fragmentiser was installed
in 2008, turning a small
scrap yard into Ward’s
central metal recycling
site, improving operations
and increasing output. This
was followed in 2012 with
in newer equipment in
recent years to speed
up the car processing
operations. All the cars
processed are then sent
for final destruction in the
companies’ car shredding
and metal processing
operations.
Sustainable growth
Ward continues to focus
on sustainable growth
through investment in
its people, processes,
equipment and
This represented the first
major investment for
Ward but also marked
an era of progress for the
business as they were able
to work more efficiently,
processing more material
and supplying to a wider
range of end-users.
Experts in end-of-life
vehicles
Ward has always received
vehicles for recycling, but
in 2003, they introduced
specialist equipment to
and flame cutting. In the
early 80s, the company
became one of the early
adopters of hydraulic
machinery with the
acquisition of a £100,000
550 tonne Henschel shear.
comply with the new
ELV regulations (2003).
Ward continuously trains
new staff in the most
efficient techniques
to accept and process
vehicles and invested

www.ward.com
the opening of a cutting-
edge Automobile Shredder
Residue (ASR) plant at its
second Ilkeston site.
Thomas continues: “Ward’s
ASR plant has enabled us
to capture more metals
and non-ferrous material
generated from the
fragmentiser, supporting
the EU directive that 95
per cent of ELVs must be
extracted and recycled.”
“At our Chesterfield
site, which we acquired
in 2015, we also have a
shearing operation, waste
recycling equipment,
ELV depolluting rigs
and facilities to handle
hazardous waste, which
is further testament to
our bespoke approach to
waste management. This
helps us to be able to offer
a complete waste recycling
offering to our customers.”
Expanding export
Almost three-quarters of
the metal Ward recycled
is exported to global
customers. A significant
quantity of this is certified
as ‘end-of-waste’, as Ward’s
processing techniques
produce an end product
with a low impurity level,
meaning it can be sold
as a ‘product’ rather than
‘waste’. The firm is one
of a small number of UK
businesses to achieve this
certification, allowing them
to trade with a wider global
market.
Shaping the future
The firm also continues
to shape the metal
recycling agenda
through its links with the
British Metal Recycling
Association (BMRA)
and industry forums
such as East Midlands
Rail and the Institute of
Demolition Contractors.
It has contributed to the
Trailblazer apprenticeship
scheme and is an advocate
of internal training and
development to secure
future industry talent.
An award-winning
formula
By processing metal
and waste, Ward actively
delivers environmental
and economic benefits,
contributing to the goal
of a circular economy
by ensuring that steel
remains in circulation
and minimises any
waste to landfill. Through
its sustainability Road
Map, The Ward Way, the
business is committed
to its people and ever-
expanding customer base,
achieving multiple awards
for its endeavours at both a
national and regional level.
ATF PROFESSIONAL
46

Metal recycling
specialists for over
80 years
For more details, visit: ward.com/ATF
or call for a quote on: 0345 337 0000
We buy vehicles from
ATFs, breakers merchants
and local collectors.
Proud sponsors of
the Salvage Company
of the Year category
Next day payment
Best prices
Nationwide coverage
Responsible recycling

ATF PROFESSIONAL
48
FROM INFORMAL
TO NORMAL
Known as one of the fastest-growing
economies globally and home to more
than a billion people, India has shown
tremendous growth in the world
automobile market, with thousands of
new vehicles joining the growth story
every day. Because of this astonishing
pace, vehicles are also entering their
end-of-life stage and being abandoned.
Millions of end of life vehicles (ELVs)
coming off Indian roads affect the
environment by contributing to pollution
ten times that of new vehicles. As per
the vehicle scrappage policy 2021, private
cars older than 20 years and commercial
vehicles older than 15 years will be
deregistered. But in Delhi, all 15 years old
petrol vehicles and ten years old diesel
vehicles are scrapped and deregistered.
Aniket Bag, Scrapoto.com founder, is an
automobile engineer turned ecopreneur.
Riding on his will to protect mother
nature, and with nearly 20 years of
experience in the automobile engineering
industry, he contributes to India’s
changing automobile recycling and
refurbishing processes with his unique
business venture.
India has promised to cut CO2 emissions
to become a net-zero country by 2070.
Scrapoto will help achieve that by letting
vehicle owners scrap their end of life/total
loss vehicles quickly and hassle-free and
help phase out all pollution-emitting and
unfit vehicles in an environment-friendly
manner. Thus, leading to a matured and
efficient state of the art infrastructure-
aided circular economy. Planting a tree on
every car we recycle is a testimony to the
impact value, and commitment toward
the Green Initiative. We believe this is the
right time to take the right action.
Scrapoto is India’s first Phygital platform
enterprise offering comprehensive multi
touchpoints for all aspects of the vehicle
recycling value chain. We promise to do
our best to contribute towards carbon
goals by recycling older, polluting, unfit
vehicles along with the extraction of green
parts and reconditionable parts.
Scrapoto deals with all kinds of ELVs,
including 2-Wheelers, 3-Wheelers, cars,
trucks, buses, and pick-up vans. Moreover,
they offer the best price for the vehicle
based on its condition and the current
scrap market value.
The online scrapping service provider
aims to make its vision of a cleaner and
greener India unfeigned reality with its
latest action plan.
Together, let’s aim for a zero-pollution
world.
www.scrapoto.com

ATF PROFESSIONAL
50
ALAN COLLEDGE DGSA, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
LITHIUM BATTERY RECYCLING SOLUTIONS
WHY DO LITHIUM BATTERIES COST SO
MUCH?
Like most things, if you do not have a
certain capability, you either have to pay
someone else to do it or learn yourself
and be rewarded with cost savings.
This would be the case if you were,
for example, a plasterer, electrician or
solicitor, but what happens when a
whole country lacks capability? That is
what the UK has faced for a long time
when dealing with the Metallurgical
treatment of battery waste and now,
especially lithium batteries.
The only battery chemistry we can deal
with domestically is lead-acid, where
there are established lead smelters
and recyclers who can take such a
battery and break them down into
the component parts to recover lead/
plastics and neutralise the acid. It’s not

51
ATF PROFESSIONAL
surprising as the lead-acid battery is
plentiful, has valuable metal inside and
has been with us a long time (160 years),
so you’d expect that most countries
would have adapted to their use and
sustainable recovery.
However, this is not the case for every
other battery chemistry, alkali, nickel-
cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, lithium-
ion and lithium-metal. We need to ‘buy
in’ the capability of recycling normally
found in the greater part of Europe
for the UK. These batteries require
a different type of treatment which
in general means the metallurgical
separation of
the ingredients
they use - either
chemically or
using heat…
Pyrometallurgy
(‘pyro’ – from
the Greek word
for ’fire’) usually
involves the
heat treatment
of the batteries to release their metals
as they combine into new ores and
concentrates, which can then be
refined into new raw materials.
Hydrometallurgy (‘hydro’ – from the
Greek word for ’water’) involves the
battery wastes being dissolved into
a solution, normally an acid or other
corrosive liquid, to use chemistry to
separate the individual ingredients for
processing into new raw materials.
Both have strengths and weaknesses
and are very expensive to operate
and require a lot of feedstock to be
economical. It’s not too surprising that
such facilities have not found their
way to the UK yet as our country only
generates so much and struggles most
years to reach a defined target of what
we should be recycling.
‘The only
battery
chemistry we
can deal with
domestically
is lead-acid’
Also, given our 40-year historic EU
membership, it’s been relatively
straightforward, up to now, to trade into
Europe and ship battery wastes out of
the UK - it’s been easier to export than
build such facilities.
This has been the case for a long time,
and being well practised means that
for the likes of alkali, NiCD and NIMH,
which have been around a lot longer,
the treatment to release the materials
is better understood and commercially
available. It also means the markets
behind the subsequent raw materials
are better established, and in some
instances, this means values can be
obtained, which helps in the cost of
recycling.
But what about lithium batteries? They
must have metals and values within,
so what’s their story? They can also be
treated in the same fashion using pyro
and hydrometallurgy, so why when
pricing for the disposal of them is it
normally very high when compared
with the others?

ATF PROFESSIONAL
52
www.lithiumbatteryrecycling.co.uk
Well, the answer to this is yes, they can
be treated in the same way but with
one distinct difference in that they can
be pretty dangerous to deal with! They
are also not as established, with lithium
battery use being on the increase only
in the last 20 years, with most of that
thanks to the mobile phone market.
Currently, such portable lithium
batteries are a bit more straightforward
to recycle, being smaller and less
dangerous to handle but not without
risk. We’ve had more time to
integrate these with the other battery
chemistries, and pound for pound, they
tend to yield a higher concentration of
valuable metals.
OK, but what about large lithium
batteries from electric vehicles? They
are even more dangerous, have higher
voltage and have a greater fire risk.
They don’t have the same value yield
as portable ones, but they will be
massively plentiful as the cars reach
their end of life in the next decade and
beyond.
The answer to this is simple. Everything
about them is currently difficult,
and capabilities have to be paid for.
We pay for a European Metallurgical
treatment as we have none of our
own. We have to pay for competent
High Voltage Engineers to handle and
disassemble them safely. We have to
pay for specialist ADR transport with
professionally trained drivers to move
them domestically and abroad.
We have to pay for R&D right now to
help define the best way to recycle a
lithium-ion battery.
The last bit, however, is the good news.
Right now, there are UK companies that
understand that the current reliance
on others’ capabilities has to change.
The UK needs answers to take a battery,
extract the materials and establish a

53
ATF PROFESSIONAL
domestic market of reuse which will be
very timely considering the new Battery
Directive mentions the need to use
renewables when making new Lithium
batteries at the upcoming gigafactories.
Copper, aluminium and steel are all
used in lithium batteries, and as you
would expect, are easier to deal with
but the blackmass from the anode and
cathode foil coating, which can be over
50% of the battery, is the new substance
to reckon with.
Within it is the
rare earth metals
like cobalt, nickel,
and manganese,
which are
valuable but
costly to extract
and process.
That said, this is
where the values
start for EV
‘blackmass
from the
anode and
cathode
foil coating,
which can be
over 50% of
the battery,
is the new
substance to
reckon with.’
batteries, and the current market can
be considered embryonic at best. When
demand for making new batteries in
the UK pushes the requirements for raw
materials that can be surface-mined
from blackmass waste, there will be a
sea change in costs, possibly turning
into values.
So watch this space, and until then,
we will have to continue paying for
capability, but I hope the wait won’t be
too long…

55
ATF PROFESSIONAL
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