Automotive Recycling September-October 2023

September-October 2023 TM

Published by the

Automotive Recyclers Association

RECYCLER TRADING Parts & Profits

PLUS:

Nick Daurio: Certified Leader

Digital Marketing Primer

Is Zero Emissions Even Possible?

ARA – PROTECTING THE INDUSTRY FOR 80 YEARS!

TM

Volume 43 // No. 5

September-October 2023

42

CELEBRATING 80 YEARS!

® – Recycled Original Equipment ®

Comments 4 // Direction Shan Lathem

6 // Horizon Sandy Blalock

8 // Gears Caryn Smith

News & Views ARA Leadership

Business

10 // Wheel

24 // C ertified Leader

36 // In Plain Sight: Best Practices in Current Marketing Trends

16 // Recycler

Nick Daurio brings a steady hand and common-sense leadership approach to tackling the complex issues automotive recyclers are facing today. // By Caryn Smith

ARA Leadership

28 // Meet the New Secretary – Sean Krause, Speedway Auto Parts As the second generation owner of Speedway Auto Parts, Sean Krause brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role at ARA. // By Caryn Smith

Business

Identifying and leveraging the right tools to build auto recycling company brand recognition is easy with a strong foundation. // By Caryn Smith

Marty Hollingshead

18 // Industry

Jim Henry

20 // Coaching

Carlos Barboza

22 // Charged

Andy Latham

Electric Vehicles

42 // Is Zero Emissions Even Possible?

How the historic transition to 50% EVs by 2030 and zero emissions by 2050 will impact auto recyclers.

49 // Advertiser Index 50 // Snapshot

// By Stacey Phillips

32 // Trading Products & Profits Trading groups within the automotive recycling industry are making inroads in providing sought-after products and fulfilling customer orders each and every time. // By Maura Keller

Check out our new website AutoRecyclingNow.com!

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING (ISSN 1058-9376) is published bi-monthly by the Automotive Recyclers Association, 9113 Church Street, Manassas, VA 20110-5456 USA. Phone: (571) 208-0428, Fax: (571) 208-0430 Internet: www.a-r-a.org. Periodicals postage at Manassas, VA, and additional mailing offices.

Copyright © 2023 ARA. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not necessarily imply any opinion on the part of the officers, directors, staff, or the members of the Automotive Recyclers Association.

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Postmaster: Send change of address to Automotive Recycling magazine, 9113 Church Street, Manassas, VA 20110-5456 USA.

Automotive Recycling

On the Cover: Speedway Auto Parts, Joliet, IL, photo by Jorge Arana. INSETS: Team PRP images by Paula Knapp.

Find us on

/AutomotiveRecycling September-October 2023 // 3

Direction

By Shan Lathem • ARA President

CELEBRATING 80 YEARS!

®

Celebrating ARA’s Impact Now and in the Future

– Recycled Original Equipment ®

T

his year we celebrate ARA’s 80th anniversary. It is remarkable that our association has been protecting our rights as automotive dismantlers for eight decades, which spans about four generations. That’s a long time. I’m humbled and proud to be written into the history of this great organization, having served this year as President and only the fourth woman to ever hold this position.

During my time on the ARA Executive Committee, I came into each year as a student of the industry. In this process, through asking questions and listening to all sides of an issue, I have been able to contribute to the process and decisions that make sense for our industry. I’ve never claimed to have the answers but instead dedicated my time to learning so much more than I ever thought I’d ever know. In part, I have learned the qualities of well-run and managed facilities, the best practices for association management, and how much daily effort goes into keeping us in business.

Working on the EC has impacted me forever. It provided a unique team experience to work with other dedicated automotive recyclers to move our industry forward on a larger scale, together. We are asked to collaborate with personalities, visions, and often very strong opinions that are so different that sometimes we wish we could fire each other! But, alas, that is not how associations work.

They work best when we put the industry’s best interests over our own personal ideas, and work to find the best solution from all ideas and thoughts presented.

I am proud to report that we have made significant accomplishments in the last four years, and especially this year. They include: • Automotive Recycling Training Institute (autorecyclingtraining.com): ARA University released new and improved training. This includes new modules and Spanish-language modules. We are also seeking U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory grants for possible collaboration on new training.

I have realized now how continual growth is a requirement • Certified Automotive Recyclers (CAR) for future success. There is no end in sight to learning, program: Endorsements from eBay, as well as the recently announced new especially as vehicle manufacturing is changing at a rapid ARA member benefit, called SHiFT and pace and impacting our future business model. found at shift4tomorrow.org. CAR participants receive priority in accessing additional vehicle inventory, at By working on this team where the playing field is level, best pricing.

I was able to gain more confidence in myself as a business• Communications: Identifying weaknesses in strategy, person. I have realized now how continual growth is a both inside and outside of the industry, ARA has initirequirement for future success. There is no end in sight to ated a marketing and digital audit to help understand learning, especially as vehicle manufacturing is changing how to facilitate and grow participation in ARA and at a rapid pace and impacting our future business model. utilize all that media and technology offers to cast a Change isn’t happening at the passing of the generational positive light on automotive recyclers. torch anymore. As owners, some of us will be faced with • Fiscal Responsibility: With a change in accounting significant changes in the middle of our careers. personnel and procedures, we ushered in a higher For most of us, in our daily business we have the final standard of accountability to ensure ARA maxisay. We are used to making decisions that we think are best mizes its budget and invests wisely in initiatives for our company. We are so used to it that I’ve heard Mike and resources for member benefit.

Kunkel tell us in PTC meetings, “You are UN-employ• Strengthening Industry: We have diligently able!” I’ve always felt he was right, because he usually is, sought to strengthen communications with state but we would not be able to take direction from someone chapters, and mended some relationships to be else. Yet, there is something to be said for the stronger, together. art of collaboration.

4 // September-October 2023

Automotive Recycling

• Grow Repair, Reuse and Recycle Message: We continue to collaborate with the OEMs and others to find working solutions to benefit the growing need to meet environmental demands of consumers and government.

• Industry Relations: Recently, ARA hosted a successful 2023 Legislative Summit. ARA has formed a new committee focused on fostering better working relationships with the salvage pools.

• Environmental Impact: We authorized a national carbon study with WPI – the Worchester Polytechnic Institute, a university familiar to automotive recycling.

This will prove the carbon-neutral impact of auto recycling to the environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) story.

• Networking: As part of our goal to offer smaller events for auto recyclers to enjoy time together, we have held the first two – one-day social events, allowing us to fellowship in between national meetings.

I am fortunate to have been part of these initiatives that will make a lasting impact on our industry. At times, I felt like I was not making the amount of progress I’d hoped for during my time in this position. Looking back over this past year’s accomplishments, it’s easy to see that no one

Automotive Recycling

person or one variation of the EC – those that have served before or will serve after – can take credit for what has been done or what is yet to come.

I would be remiss if I did not emphasize how incredibly dedicated the staff and consultants are to ARA. They take care of the details and keep us straight. It sometimes feels like a full-time role volunteering on the EC, but it isn’t. We are all still hands-on operators, so it becomes a juggling act that we certainly couldn’t manage without our home office heroes. I want to thank them for their continual efforts and guidance.

As I get ready to hand the gavel to Nick Daurio, you are in good hands with your leadership team. I remain on the Executive Committee for one more year to fulfill the remainder of my five-year commitment. It has truly been a pleasure serving our industry in this capacity. Thank you so much for this incredible opportunity.

Shan Lathem 2022-23 ARA President

September-October 2023 // 5

Horizon

By Sandy Blalock • ARA Executive Director

CELEBRATING 80 YEARS!

®

The Inherent Benefits of Embracing Technology

O

I hope to see you in Kansas City!

ne of the most influential tools we use in our businesses today is computers and the vast array of information and resources available to our industry can be found in a couple of keystrokes. We are now dealing with connected customers, savvy shoppers and people who access almost everything in their lives via the internet.

However, technology has simplified many things in our businesses – helping us manage more efficiently by facilitating business processes and other activities. We can store more information on computers, allowing us to handle the information for most business applications. We can perform multitasking and multiprocessing capabilities of data that help run our businesses more smoothly. Computer technology also helps our customers, whether it’s the collision or mechanical repairers, insurance or do-it-yourselfers. They can now access a broad range of information to make decisions.

Technology helps establish a solid process to list, identify and make certain that the customer gets exactly what they need. It would take a much longer article to list all those assets available to assist us in the inventory processing of the vehicles we acquire, and we know what many of them are. However if you don’t know, that would be a very strong reason to attend our 80th Annual Convention and Expo in Kansas City on October 12-14th.

There is no going back. We must adapt and learn the advantages of the technology available and stop focusing on the negative side of information overload. Use it to make yourself and your businesses better, more efficient, knowledgeable, and inclusive of all customers.

The influence of the connected customer has had many positive impacts for auto recyclers because customers who prefer to shop online have significantly boosted the profile of our industry on the web and opened market placement on a global scale. There seems to be a dynamic change of online marketplaces and digital storefronts for auto parts that will continue to expand our ability to sell more parts.

Members of our industry know many of those marketplaces and list inventory on them, but there are many more out there competing in our market that may not be in the best interests of our industry as a sector. It’s important for professional automotive recyclers to have an open communication with your industry partners and

6 // September-October 2023

– Recycled Original Equipment ®

other recyclers to help protect your image and that of the professional automotive recycling industry.

A large number of our connected customers are more environmentally conscious, leading to a demand for ecofriendly auto parts and assurances that there is a robust recycling program in place. This is one of the reasons ARA has invested in knowing more about our carbon footprint with our expanded Carbon Study program with Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).

We already know from an earlier study done by our Massachusett’s affiliate with WPI that our industry is one of a very few that can claim carbon negativity based solely on the reuse of automotive parts. This will resonate with many of our customers now and in the future as people become more highly engaged in climate issues. We will share with our members more information as it becomes available later this year. It will certainly be a game changer for our industry to have facts that support our claims that our industry is an important link to help advance a growing marketplace for our products because of their impact on our environment. Truthfully, we have been the “best story never told” but we all need to be sharing why reuse is the purest form and first link of recycling.

Finally, the best and sometimes worse part of the connected customer is the online reviews and customer feedback. Connected customers can easily share their experiences and reviews online, influencing others’ purchasing decisions. This has made customer satisfaction and product quality more crucial for us as professional auto recyclers. Let’s all agree to look at this as a huge opportunity to help us as business owners and employees. It will make you a better operator who strives to assure the highest level of customer service.

Overall, the connected customer has driven innovation, digitalization, and customer-centric strategies within the auto parts industry, reshaping how products are marketed and sold.

I’d like to close with this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson “Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one’s own sunshine.”

Reach Sandy Blalock at sandy@a-r-a.org. Share your thoughts pertaining to the advancement of professional automotive recycling.

Your letter could be published in an upcoming issue.

Automotive Recycling

Gears

By Caryn Smith • Editor

History Is a Reflection of the People Making It

W

hen you are around this industry long enough, you’ll start to see patterns. Yes, the faces change, the issues change, and the vehicles change. Yet, the industry always rises to meet challenges with resiliency, tenacity, inventiveness, and creative problem solving. Every generation has seen shifts that drive conversation, debate and change. The entrepreneurial spirit of auto recyclers always seems to make it work.

For the past 80 years, the Automotive Recyclers Association – known by other names along the way – has been a driving force to protect the rights to do this business. At the 80th Annual Convention & Expo, we celebrate this milestone together.

During my tenure with ARA since the 1990s, I have sought to understand automotive recycling as best as I could in order to help the industry succeed through communication in the magazines, websites, emails and more. In my early days, we had land lines and AOL. Googling “automotive recycling” wasn’t an option. So I heavily depended on others to teach me, and even now with information at my fingertips, I still do.

Luckily, some great people – whom I now consider friends – provided insight so I could do my work better every year. I am sure you can think of those pivotal people who helped you to be a better version of yourself and improve your quality of work.

The greatest legacy gift that this industry and its association offers is the people who are a part of it. Who impacted you? How did they help you? Why did they do it?

Who do you impact? This is what we need to celebrate as we consider the milestone anniversary of ARA. After all, the organization is made up of volunteers who come together for a greater cause, giving of their time and talent for the benefit of all. There have been good years and not so good. But, that’s life, right? The fact that ARA is still fighting for auto recy-

8 // September-October 2023

clers means that somewhere along the line, things progressed.

One person who influenced my work professionally, and personally as a friend, is Ginny Whelan. Before her semi-retirement, we didn’t speak often – but when we did, it mattered. I called her my “muse,” inspiring many article ideas and themes with her ability to see what was coming.

Even today, I consider her one of the most forward-thinking people in the industry.

She was bold enough to become the first woman president of ARA. Imagine the pressure of being in that position. Later, her vision for formal industry training, seeing the need to standardize processes and increase safety, brought ARA University to life, even when some didn’t deem it necessary. As ecommerce took off, she understood the increasing importance of data years before anyone else. And her work with CIECA pushed forward ARA’s standards for parts coding and descriptions to do business better with insurance companies and collision repairers. Yes, many others were significant in these efforts, but I always appreciated her gutsiness to push an idea forward, despite criticisms.

She and I recently had the pleasure of having lunch. From her thought processes come the most audacious things – that are usually determined to be spot on, so I listen! In leaving our four-hour lunch, as a “present” she gave me her most recent notes on AI, which I will share with you another time. My point is, industry veterans like Ginny formed history ... and keep on giving.

Who are your industry heroes? Who did you see make a difference? How did this impact you? There are a thousand stories we could tell about those who paved the way for today. Let’s take a moment to appreciate them, and thank them for making us all better in the process.

Happy Anniversary ARA!

ARA Officers PRESIDENT Shan Lathem Cocoa Auto Salvage Cocoa, FL shan@cocoaautosalvage.com 1ST VICE PRESIDENT Nick Daurio Daurio Auto Truck Pueblo, CO nick@daurioauto.com 2ND VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURER Eric Wilbert Wilbert’s U-Pull It Williamson, NY eric.wilbert@wilbertsinc.com SECRETARY Shannon Nordstrom Nordstroms Automotive, Inc. Garretson, SD shannon@nordstromsauto.com IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Martin “Marty” Hollingshead Northlake Auto Recyclers Hammond, IN martyh@narparts.com

ARA Executive Staff & Contractors ARA Headquarters • (571) 208-0428 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sandy Blalock, Sandy@a-r-a.org SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR ASSOCIATION OPERATIONS; DIRECTOR OF STATE GOVERNMENT AND GRASSROOTS AFFAIRS Jessica Andrews, Jessica@a-r-a.org SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MEMBER SERVICES & CERTIFICATION PROGRAM Kelly Badillo, Kelly@a-r-a.org VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGY AND GOVERNMENT AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS Emil Nusbaum, Emil@a-r-a.org DIRECTOR OF MEMBER RELATIONS Vince Edivan, Vince@a-r-a.org ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Kaitlyn Gatti, Kaitlyn@a-r-a.org EVENT MANAGER Kimberly Glasscock, (615) 476-4501 kglasscock@awardwinningevents.com BOOKKEEPER Candee Roth, Candee@a-r-a.org CERTIFICATION CONSULTANT Sue Schauls, sue.schauls@gmail.com CONSULTANT Ginny Whelan, vwhelan99@gmail.com A R A P U B L I C AT I O N S

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING™ MAGAZINE

AutoRecyclingNow.com

AUTO RECYCLER’S TOOLBOX®

AutoRecyclingNow.com

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING: Print & Digital Advertising Sales, Editorial & Design Caryn Smith / Jay Mason Driven By Design LLC (239) 225-6137 ARAEditor@comcast.net For all ARA print and digital advertising, editorial or production information, e-mail ARAEditor@comcast.net or call (239) 225-6137.

www.a-r-a.org Automotive Recycling

Wheel Lorem ipsum

News, Trends & Reports from the Automotive Recyclers Association

Gone Fishing with ARA

I

n 1910, Carter Frank’s grandfather had a bicycle shop in Houston. One day, a Buick broke an axle in front of his shop and the owner sold the car to Carter’s grandfather. Soon after that someone bought the wheels and tires off the Buick and Mr. Frank decided to convert the bike shop into an auto recycling facility.

Carter and his father Johnny operated Johnny Franks Auto Parts up until 2001 when his father passed. Carter closed the business and sold the property in 2009 but has always maintained an interest and connection to the auto recycling community.

Carter is an avid fisherman and was gracious enough to host an ARA Networking Offshore Fishing Event on Sunday, September 10th. We had a great turn out and a wonderful day of fishing and telling both fish and auto recycling stories. Carter enjoyed getting caught up on the goings on within the industry and we all enjoyed talking and fishing for red snapper. We ended up putting nearly 400 pounds of red snapper in the boat. You might be wondering how we got away with that seeing how the daily bag limits are set at four fish per person in state waters and two fish per person in federal waters for red snapper season in Texas. Well, Carter grew tired of that limit, so he bought a commercial fishing license.

So technically, we were all commercial fishermen for a day!

From Left to Right: Carter Frank, Owner of the boat and former recycler at Johnny Franks in Houston, TX; Mike Lambert, Buddy Innovations; Lance Thomas, BYOT Auto Parts; Mike Kunkel, Profit Team Consultants; Bill Short, S3 Software Solutions; Gary Wilkens, UCC; Vince Edivan, ARA Director of Member Relations; and Eric Wilbert, Wilberts U-Pull-It.

ARA is committed to providing opportunities and recognizes the value of networking with your peers. If you are interested in attending one of our networking events in the future, please reach out to Vince Edivan (Vince@a-r-a.org ) and he’ll be sure to include you in the next event email. We are currently looking at planning a bourbon trail tour, winery tours, sailing day, and more!

Automotive Recyclers Convene for Legislative Summit

A

RA members from across the country gathered in Indianapolis on August 3rd for the return of ARA’s Legislative Summit. Joining the members were several members of the ARA leadership team and ARA staff.

Attendees spent dedicated focus time discussing several public policy issues of importance of the professional automotive recycling industry and ARA member businesses.

10 // September-October 2023

Issues such as electronic titling, personal identifiable information, vehicle data access, design for reuse, electric vehicles, and more.

Existing Association position statements were reviewed for possible updates and suggestions will be made to the Government Affairs Committee for review Stay tuned for more information in the next edition of Automotive Recycling magazine.

Automotive Recycling

CELEBRATING 80 YEARS!

® – Recycled Original Equipment ®

WELCOME NEW AND RETURNING MEMBERS Aesop of Atlanta Allstate Used Auto Parts, Inc. dba QRP-NY Auto Gator Bevell’s Pull It Yourself Used Auto Parts (Aesop) Cyclic Materials Fenix Parts - Fort Worth Fox U-Pull-It (Fenix Parts) Freight Partners Group LLC Gravely Auto Recycling (Aesop) Greentec Recycling Knox Auto Parts - Birmingham (Aesop) Knox Auto Parts - Nashville (Aesop) Midway Auto Parts - Beggs (Aesop) Midway U Pull - Liberty (Aesop) Midway U Pull - Muncie (Aesop) Midway U Pull - Tulsa (Aesop) Paul’s Auto Yard Progi Rafaels Parts Empire, Inc. dba Toyauto Mart Redwood Materials Sims Metal Management

Certification Committee Debuts New CAR Program Logos

A

RA’s Certification Committee is excited to announce the release of a new more modern logo for the program as well as related badges signifying those facilities that are also Gold Seal, Recall and/or HVV certified. Members will start seeing the new logo in promotional materials and in ARA publications in the coming weeks. Certified facilities are encouraged to start incorporating the updated logo and badges into their daily operations. The new graphics are available now to certified facilities. Please contact ARA staff for the files.

The Committee and ARA realize that many proud certified member facilities have already invested significantly in signage and other marketing materials that utilize the existing CAR logo.

We thank you for helping spread the word about this industry recognized program! It is the Committee’s goal that by January 2024 all certified members will be using the new logo.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS: To be listed as CAR certified in the print version of the 2024 Membership Directory that is shipped to all ARA members, your self-audit must be completed, submitted and approved by December 1. All 2023 electronic records are due by December 31, 2023. 2023 electronic records received after December 31, 2023 will not be accepted. 2024 is a professional audit year.

The 2024 electronic records will be available for purchase in the late fall. For a list of CAR-approved auditors, please contact ARA staff.

ARA Announces the 81st Annual Convention & Expo

Mark Your Calendars for Reno, Nevada in 2024!

A

RA is preparing you for a future of success in the ever-changing landscape of automotive recycling. “Why Gamble with Your Future?” is the theme of the convention! Gather with your peers, industry experts and vendors October 23-26, 2024! Mark your calendars and look for more details coming in 2024.

12 // September-October 2023

Automotive Recycling

ARA Presents at NAATBatt Lithium Recycling Workshop

O

n August 8th and 9th, ARA joined industry leaders at the sixth annual NAATBatt Lithium Recycling Workshop in Indianapolis. Hosted at the Heritage Group’s pastoral headquarters north of downtown, this year’s workshop attracted industry leaders from battery recyclers to chemical manufacturers, and, of course, a strong contingent of automotive recyclers eager to highlight the industry as an integral facilitator in a circular economy filled with recycled automotive components.

ARA was represented by VP of Strategy and Government and Regulatory Affairs, Emil Nusbaum, and Past President, Scott Robertson Jr., who presented alongside Argonne National Laboratory’s Linda Gaines on the Battery Management for

14 // September-October 2023

Automotive Recyclers panel. Their presentation highlighted the indispensable role automotive recyclers play in the battery management space, and the need to ensure end-of-first-life electric vehicle batteries are put to their highest and best use.

As Robertson and Nusbaum demonstrated in their presentations, automotive recyclers possess the expertise and infrastructure to safely dismantle, extract, and recover valuable materials from spent lithium-ion batteries.

By collaborating with manufacturers and the broader recycling industry, automotive recyclers contribute to a closedloop system that conserves resources, reduces dependence on raw materials, and promotes the long-term viability of electric

Emil Nusbaum, VP of Strategy and Government and Regulatory Affairs.

mobility while advancing the principles of a circular economy. Continued coordination with industry leaders will be crucial for ARA to ensure that automotive recyclers remain the foremost custodians of salvaged vehicle batteries and similar parts to ensure they are put to their best and highest use.

Automotive Recycling

Recycler

By Marty Hollingshead

Giving Back: The ARA (Peer-to-Peer) Mentoring Program

I

would like to start this off with a story about people who have made a big difference in my life and who I turned out to be.

Back in Chicago when I was in fifth grade, I had a teacher named Mr. Tomasello. He was a big grey-haired, bearded Italian in his late 40s. The best way to describe him was that he looked like a mean Santa Claus. I lived in a tough Italian neighborhood, and I was a typical Chicago tough kid, and always got myself in trouble.

His class was no different, and this teacher was always up to the challenge. Our class was on the third floor, and he was well known for his toughness. His punishment would be to put you in a three-foot-tall garbage can in the classroom, sometimes upside down! He also took a student and opened the window and grabbed him by the ankles, and held him out the window upside down! Nowadays, he would be on the evening news, lose his job, and probably be charged criminally, but back in old days that’s how things were done.

Like I said, I was one of his problem students, but this guy saw something in me.

I remember that November when he came to our house at 8 p.m. on a Tuesday night, and told my mother that I was very smart and to get me out of that neighborhood or I was headed for trouble.

After the Christmas break, we had two big blackboards in the back of the classroom that were never used. They were used now! On the left side he had a “Passing List,” and on the other side he had a “Failing List” with all of us on it. Guess who was number one on the Failing List?

It was me; he also gave a little talk about who and why we were on those lists. It was embarrassing for sure, but it got me motivated. I said to myself, “I’m going to make him eat his words!” For the next four months, I worked my tail off and by May 1st, I was at the top of the Passing List.

From that point on I continued to work

16 // September-October 2023

We both felt that if we could save just one recycler from going out of business the program would be a success. hard, apply myself, and tried to keep my nose clean (as best as I could).

We all have stories of someone that made a big difference in our lives, and for me this is the one I will always remember the most.

This is just one of many that have guided, mentored, and advised me throughout my life. I can’t thank them all enough.

This is why mentoring and helping others is so near and dear to me. So, when RD Hopper was talking about the idea of the ARA Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program, I said, “Great idea! Let’s do it,” and so it began.

We both felt that if we could save just one recycler from going out of business the program would be a success. Looking back after these five years, it has accomplished so much more.

I found out that being a mentor has has its challenges, but I can say the most rewarding thing is to see another recycler that you mentored be in a better place. I’m so proud of the recyclers I have mentored and what they have accomplished. Yes, there are frustrating examples, but just like being a teacher you have different types of students. Kind of like the beginning of my story, huh?

I still remember being at our very first presentation at ARA with RD Hopper.

Someone came up to me and handed me a note which said: “Every person owes time and money to the industry in which they are engaged. No one has a moral right to withhold his support from an organization that is striving to improve his conditions within his sphere.”

This guy was Lawrie Beacham.

This is on a plaque in my office, and whenever I get frustrated, I look at it, and remember why I am here and how what I do can be so important to others. I just continue on and always try to do my best.

This is just one more example of someone who has made a big difference for me.

Support your state and local associations!

Support ARA! Marty Hollingshead has been in the auto recycling business since 1973 and is the owner of Northlake Auto Recyclers, Inc., Hammond, Indiana, since 1984. Marty is on the ARA Executive Committee, currently serving as Immediate PastPresident. He is a board member of the Indiana Automotive Recyclers Association. Both Marty and Northlake have received numerous awards and recognition for excellence in the industry and the community. Reach Marty at 219-937-3960 or visit www.narparts.com.

Automotive Recycling

Industry

By Jim Henry

On the Rise

G

ood times continue to roll for U.S. new-vehicle dealerships – just not quite so good, in some ways.

Here are some of the high-level pros and cons affecting dealership business from mid-year through the rest of 2023.

Pros: 1. Better new-vehicle availability; 2. A modest return to factory discounts; 3. Strong demand for parts and service.

Cons: 1. Lack of affordability, high interest rates; 2. Lower per-vehicle gross profits, new or used; 3. Shaky consumer confidence.

The central new fact in the auto retail market is the current increase in new-vehicle supply. However, better supply cuts both ways.

The upside is that new-vehicle sales are up this year. New-vehicle shortages had severely limited sales and created pent-up demand, dating back to COVID-related business shutdowns that began in the spring of 2020.

Low inventory continues to an extent today, due to parts shortages, especially computer chips. Automakers also are slowwalking production increases, in some

cases, to keep supply scarce, and to support high transaction prices.

Still, the industry is gradually overcoming the chip shortage, and new-vehicle availability has improved.

According to Cox Automotive, new-vehicle inventory was about two million cars and trucks at the end of July, an increase of 71%, or more than 800,000 units higher than July 2022. Even with the increase, that’s still well below historical standards, pre-pandemic.

With better supply, U.S. light-vehicle sales for July were about 1.3 million, an increase of 16% vs. July 2022, according to Kelly Blue Book. Year to date through July, U.S. light-vehicle sales were about nine million, an increase of around one million, or 13.3%.

What’s not to like? The downside for dealerships is, average gross profit per new vehicle is declining, as consumers get more to choose from, and consumer bargaining power has improved. Used-car grosses per vehicle were down in the second quarter, too, for many big dealer groups.

The second quarter produced a lot of ups and downs in dealership results.

At Asbury Automotive Group, for instance, on just a 3% increase in new-

iStockphoto.com/Apriori1

Incentives are starting to make a comeback, now that the situation has changed. Customer waiting lists aren’t so long, and the average transaction price has fallen below Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price.

18 // September-October 2023

vehicle unit sales in the second quarter, new-vehicle revenue increased 8%, to $1.9 billion. However, average new-vehicle gross profit per vehicle fell 16% vs. a year ago, to $4,832. That’s on a same-store basis.

Asbury Automotive is based in Duluth, Ga. For dealerships in general, not just Asbury Automotive, it remains to be seen whether the increase in sales volume is enough in the long run, to make up for the decrease in gross profit per unit.

David Hult, Asbury president and CEO, said in a July 25 conference call he doesn’t expect inventory to go back to pre-pandemic levels, and that should support higher per-unit gross profits, even if they’re down from recent highs.

“I think all of our peers and ourselves have been talking about it, we’re not going to go back to ’19 levels,” of inventory, he said.

For the industry, Cox Automotive said the new-car days-supply was 56 days at the end of July, 39% higher than a year ago.

Days-supply is an estimate for how long a given inventory would last at the most recent monthly selling rate, if it were not replenished.

Before the pandemic, a 60-day supply was considered “normal and ideal,” Cox Automotive said.

Supplies vary a lot, from brand to brand.

Dealers report that generally speaking, domestic brands have the biggest inventories, approaching pre-pandemic levels in some cases. Mass-market import brands like Toyota and Honda have the lowest inventory on average. Luxury brands are mostly in-between, dealers said.

Asbury reported it had a 32-day supply of new-vehicle inventory as of June 30, 2023. That’s up from 26 days as of Dec. 31, 2022, and up from just 13 days a year ago.

With more inventory on hand, dealers have been complaining for a few quarters now, that the manufacturers need to Automotive Recycling

increase incentives, and produce a higher mix of more-affordable vehicles. Incentives are on the rise, but from a very low starting point.

When customers were waiting in line to take what new vehicles they could get, and pay more than sticker price to get them, the factories steered scarce computer chips to the most profitable vehicles, with the highest levels of trim and equipment.

Incentives are starting to make a comeback, now that the situation has changed.

Customer waiting lists aren’t so long, and the average transaction price has fallen below Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price.

According to J.D. Power and GlobalData, the average incentive per vehicle more than doubled in July 2023 vs. a year ago, to an estimated $1,888. That’s an average of 3.7% of MSRP, vs. 1.7% a year ago.

Part of the incentive increase is meant to offset the increase in the average auto loan rate, since the Federal Reserve started raising interest rates in March 2022.

Satyan Merchant, senior vice president

Automotive Recycling

and automotive business leader at Chicago-based TransUnion, said that in the second quarter, the average newvehicle finance rate was 6.8%, up from 4.7% in the second quarter of 2022. The average rate for used-vehicle financing was 11.9%, up from 9.2% a year ago.

Also In the second quarter, TransUnion says 6% of new-vehicle financing had an annual percentage rate of 2% or less, which implies there were factory-backed incentives to buy down the interest rate. At the end of 2022, only 3% of new-vehicle financing had an APR of 2% or less, TransUnion said.

The relative decline in profits has new-car dealerships reacting the same way dealerships always do, whenever new- and used-car profits are down: they’re making more money the old-fashioned way, from parts and service.

Dealers note that the age of the average vehicle on the rise. That’s partly because there are fewer new vehicles being produced and sold compared with pre-pandemic years, and that alone raises the average age of all other vehicles on the road.

According to Experian Automotive, the age of the average vehicle on the road was 12.3 years for the first quarter of 2023, the most recent available, up from 12.1 years in the first quarter of 2022. When the pandemic first hit, the average age in the first quarter of 2020 was 11.7 years.

Still, dealers report that with new- and used-car prices being high, many customers are keeping their vehicles and fixing them up, which is good news for dealership parts and service business.

Jim Henry is a New Jersey-based, veteran freelance reporter covering the U.S. auto industry, writing for trade magazines Automotive News and WardsAuto, plus Forbes and others.

Concentrations include U.S. light-vehicle sales, dealership Fixed Operations and Finance & Insurance, mergers and acquisitions, publicly traded dealer groups, OEM financial results, and Connected, Autonomous, Shared, Electric Vehicles.

He is also the former department manager, corporate strategy and market research for Mercedes-Benz USA, and a former president of the International Motor Press Association.

September-October 2023 // 19

Coaching

By Carlos Barboza

The Power of Word. Create or Destroy.

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he messages we received from our parents in our childhood shaped our personality and character, which still apply a great influence in our adult life. Those messages today are part of our beliefs that elevate or degrade us, that help or deter us. Most of our internal battles are to get rid of or change the inappropriate behavior. When we are teenagers or adults, the messages from these parental figures lose strength, but they do not disappear, they continue to mark us. And it is through readings, the media, leaders or people we admire, that we could reaffirm, change or modify these beliefs and be able to reparent ourselves; and that’s because, both the written and spoken word have great power to build or destroy.

Humans have the privilege of the gift of speech, allowing us to create our reality and induce realities in others with our persuasion. It is something we do on a daily basis.

knew how to search for the worst primary instincts of the society, highlight the defects of previous democratic governments and set fire to the low passions of the people, leading countries to complete ruin.

But we also have good examples in the use of the verb. The human rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., had a powerful speech, in which “I Have a Dream” stands out. He led a movement against segregation and racial discrimination that plagued American society and led to the enactment of civil rights and legal equality for all Americans. The best example of spiritual transformation through the word is Jesus Christ. His teachings shape the way of life of more than 2.6 billion faithful, through the Christian faith, the most widespread in the world.

It is amazing how the words we use not only shape our lives but also affect our health. In a study conducted at California Pacific Medical, the conversations of 600 men “Death and life are in the power of were recorded.

Listening to the tongue: and they that love it shall the tapes, they eat the fruit thereof.” –PROVERBS 18:21 counted how often each man used the words “I” and “Mine.”

The influence of the spoken or written The investigation continued for several message not only applies to our personal years and it found that those who talked lives, but also communities, countries and most habitually about themselves suffered the whole world are subjected to good or the most heart attacks. That is, the less you bad words. We have the case of Hitler – a open your heart to others, the more your failed painter, a lousy student, but an intelheart suffers. The aforementioned study ligent, resentful person, who shocked the advises: “Listen carefully when others world with his verb and Nazi propaganda speak. Give your time and energy to others. based on lies and manipulation of the Do things for reasons other than satisfying masses, provoked a World War, resulting your own needs.” The previous statement in the extermination of millions of human reminds me what the Greek philosopher beings and the terror of the Holocaust.

Epictetus said: “We have two ears and one Or consider the case of many dictators mouth, so that we can listen twice as much worldwide, with an incendiary verb, they as we speak.”

20 // September-October 2023

Words have the power to inspire us or crush us as Don Miguel Ruiz talks about in his bestselling book, The Four Agreements.

Based in ancient Toltec wisdom, the book’s first agreement is, “Be impeccable with your word.” Ruiz writes, “The word is the most powerful tool you have as a human; it is the tool of magic. But like a sword with two edges, your word can create the most beautiful dream, or your word can destroy everything around you. One edge is the misuse of the word, which creates a living hell.

The other edge is the impeccability of the word, which will only create beauty, love and heaven on earth.” Be mindful. Words can hurt; they can also heal. When you use a wrong word, back-peddle fast. Regroup.

Find the right word. How you view the world and your relationship to it will be enhanced by your mindful choice of words.

Words matter. Words are powerful.

Words move people to action. We must be conscious of the power our words carry and use them wisely. With the word we can bless or curse and that will have an effect on others and on ourselves. Release your words of encouragement, love, gratitude, support, understanding of other people’s pain, forgiveness, tolerance. How many times have some friendly words given us strength and led us on better paths? And it is that we are interconnected by the invisible threads of the human species. The illusion of being apart only brings us pain and loneliness. The respectful and affective verb is the bridge that unites us.

Mother Theresa once said: “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” Blessings.

Carlos Barboza is the owner of Eco Green Auto Parts, Orlando, FL. Their website is https:// ecogautoparts.com and they can be found on Facebook @ecogreenautoparts.

Automotive Recycling

Charged

By Andy Latham

T

hirteen years after California and several other states banned the sale of brand new internal combustion-engined vehicles and eight years after the rest of the 48 states followed their lead, just over 50% of the vehicles in use on the roads in the U.S. are now zero emission, with their owners and drivers enjoying the benefits of cheaper motoring costs, lower road use charges and being able to drive in all major cities without incurring additional costs.

The remainder of the vehicles in use are internal combustion-engined vehicles that have to pay a charge per mile travelled, are buying fuel at over $15 per gallon and are banned from most cities.

Go back 25 years to 2023, vehicle recycling companies who made the decision to look forward and invest in their future are now excelling in service, quality and profit.

These companies, members of the ARA, got all their staff trained and aware of electric and hybrid vehicles using the resources available on ARA University. This gave them a good grounding and understanding of the vehicles, the technology, risks and potential opportunities. Over the following years, they slowly and steadily increased their experience by purchasing these vehicles, completing more training, dismantling what they purchased and exploring the marketplace; they brought the right people into the business, built relationships with key customers, clients, partners and suppliers, continued purchasing and dismantling and became experts.

They didn’t stop their traditional vehicle recycling operations either – they are still selling quality parts for Ice Age vehicles, including engines and transmissions, catalytic converters, core products and collision repair parts – and demand is still strong especially for those that want to keep their internal combustion vehicles running.

The problem is that they cannot meet that demand because they do not have the 22 // September-October 2023

required volume of vehicles available to them.

Over the same time period, other companies were completing their own exploration of new market opportunities; researching new ideas, testing initiatives and scaling up to lead the industry on the re-use, re-manufacturing, re-purposing and recycling of high voltage components from end-of-life vehicles. These organizations are now reaping the benefits of this work by being the best high voltage component recyclers and they are part of the process that delivers true closed loop recycling; good batteries go into alternative use before heading down the recycling route many years later, poor batteries are recycled and all elements recovered during the recycling process go into new battery production. Electric motors are stripped down and sophisticated recycling processes recover 99% of all rare earth metals that are then utilized in new motors.

Circuit boards, cables, resistors, capacitors and many other components go through shredding facilities where all elements are separated to feed new production – a truly green, fully closed loop recycling program from end of life to new production.

The changes over the last 25 years have been immense; legislation altered vehicle design and production; the ownership model of vehicles moved away from purchase towards leasing; vehicle manufacturers have become more involved in the whole life of the vehicle; vehicle recycling now feeds massive volumes of product into brand new vehicles and vehicle component production; and the great leaders in the vehicle recycling industry who looked 25 to 30 years ahead are now seeing an

iStockphoto.com/PhonlamaiPhoto

Vehicle Recycling 2048

amazing return on their investment. There have been casualties, as there always are during a time of significant change, but the history of the vehicle recycling industry is strong, resilient and adaptable, and inspirational leadership from the Automotive Recycling Association working globally with legislators, manufacturers and partner recycling associations has been a key factor in this incredible transition.

Is this a story, a prediction or just pure fantasy? I will let you decide, but one thing I will say is that the industry is changing, probably quicker than any change we have seen in our lifetime, and those that are not open to change or prepared to invest in change are going to miss out.

Don’t forget, failing to prepare is preparing to fail!

Start to prepare your company for the future by entering your details and thoughts at salvageinsight.co.uk, and one of our consultants could help you determine what you will be doing in 2048!

Andy Latham is Managing Director of Salvage Wire. His desire is to highlight the professionalism in the vehicle recycling industry, increase knowledge and understanding, and keep everyone safe, ethical and profitable.

Automotive Recycling

By Caryn Smith

Certified Leader

Nick Daurio brings a steady hand and common-sense leadership approach to tackling the complex issues automotive recyclers are facing today.

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Automotive Recycling: You came into the ARA Executive Committee during the pandemic, how was that experience for you?

NICK DAURIO: Scott Robertson was president at that time, and the EC was organized in structure, which was a benefit to the time we were in. They all made me feel very welcome and made sure I was up to date on every agenda item that was being discussed and voted on from the very first day. It was important to them that I understood the issues and the potential solutions in a very positive manner.

The main difference between our state association in Colorado and ARA really is the magnitude of the agenda items. From the government affairs involvement, the number of auto recyclers that ARA serves to its advocacy, education, and training. In the ARA organization, every facet is large and very complex, with so many moving parts every single day.

The most rewarding part is seeing the progress being made and the vision that develops looking forward, and the many accomplishments achieved in the last three years.

As a member, I would go to a convention, meet a lot of people, and learn about what the industry had to offer.

When you’re looking from the outside in, it’s totally a different picture than seeing it firsthand the inside operations. You just really can’t see as a member how much work and structure it takes for the organization to flow and thrive.

As an organization, especially from the EC, the staff and the board perspectives, we need to make sure that every member feels like they are valued, and their voice is heard. We need to educate them and get them involved as much as we can, even with the affiliate chapters.

t the 80th Annual ARA Convention & Expo, Nick Daurio – owner of Daurio Auto Truck in Pueblo, CO, with his brother Mike Daurio and son Greg Daurio – takes the gavel for his year as president of the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA). His term on the Executive Committee (EC) began during 2020’s epic COVID-19 pandemic, and culminates during the 80th year of the Association’s history. During these milestone years, Nick brought a stable common-sense approach to very complex issues to the EC. Much of his strength in leadership is rooted in his heritage, learning from his father who was the son of an Italian immigrant and the anchor of their family business.

Daurio Auto Truck started by John Daurio in 1957. He quickly landed insurance contracts in the mid-70s that set the business up for future success.

While he passed away a little over a year ago, his no nonsense work ethic, high standards of integrity and forward-thinking vision is a legacy that is present in the operation today. The full-service facility currently encompasses 30 acres in four lots, with entire buildings devoted to specific parts – with nothing touching the ground.

Under Nick’s leadership, the business is now an ARA Certified Automotive Recycler (CAR), and ARA Gold Seal Certified. We interviewed Nick on his thoughts on ARA, the industry, and his certification story.

Tara Patty Photography

ARA LEADERSHIP

Recycler to Watch

24 // September-October 2023

AR: What is the value of being a part of ARA in your perception?

DAURIO: With all the various groups and business models available to our industry, ultimately, we all need to fit in together as a community. That is a hallmark of our industry in how we collaborate.

We’re stronger in numbers then we are as small groups or individuals. We need to figure out a way to unite on Automotive Recycling

AR: What are initiatives that the EC has advanced during your EC tenure?

DAURIO: When I first started, there were only a few electric vehicles on the road. In a few short years, the numbers are increasing exponentially. The future is here now.

I must commend Scott, Marty, Shan, and Sandy for the initial vision to get involved in training and education for all members on electric vehicle dismantling. We are now seeing the development of the secondary use suppliers for spent EV batteries. The ARA team opened the doors for communication so that we could face the future challenges with a seat at the decision-making table. Going back to teamwork, the proactive decision to develop the relationship with NAATBatt and its members [an organization promoting the commercial interests and supporting developments in advanced energy storage technology] is a game-changer.

We also have contracted with the Worchester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) to conduct a national study on our industry to officially verify our carbon-negative impacts on the environment. I’m really proud that this has happened. It ties in with the ARA strategic plan. It ties into certification. It ties into industry awareness. It holds a lot of weight in many places we visit, but we need outside verification through a carbon study on the carbon savings data. Will carbon credits have a value someday? I think they will.

As far as the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) corporate factor, governments are requiring it now.

You must know what your impact is on the environment as a business. In our business and our industry partners, we want to be able to answer: What do you do with that metal? What do we do with the parts? How do we get Automotive Recycling

Caryn Smith

common ground, not only as ARA members but also as certified auto recyclers to improve our image. We need to educate the world on our value; we are probably the most misunderstood industry in the world.

ARA is the advocacy for our entire industry. The importance of being involved as a member of the association is for the betterment of the industry. Participation in the certification programs, government relations and industry relations are key to our progress to actively build better relationships and to make sure that our voice is heard and considered in matters that directly or indirectly impact our business and livelihood.

Teamwork in the organization is the only way we can succeed. One person can’t do everything. And that’s where involvement in committee work comes into play; it’s very important for all recyclers to contribute, no matter what your business model is. For me, being on the EC is like getting a master’s degree in teamwork. Everyone involved must feel their worth, believe that they count and their opinion matters. We all think differently, yet we must work towards a common goal and a viable solution.

Teamwork in the organization is the only way we can succeed. the parts? Are we creating new parts? What is the energy savings? It will become very important information going forward, I think.

Nick Daurio – owner of Daurio Auto Truck.

AR: What do you believe are the strengths of the ARA? DAURIO: The annual convention is always a strength of the organization, and it continues to get bigger and better – from the number of quality exposition vendors to the growing participation from attendees to the educational program, including the Tech Talk track. It is a critical asset for the industry to understand trends and strategies for growing operations.

The Mentoring Program brings quality operators together with those that want additional growth and insight, which again points back to industry teamwork.

You can see the success that it’s brought to recyclers who went through this program. It takes a lot of time and effort to make it work from both sides – mentor and mentee, but it is important for our industry to elevate all operators who want to achieve greater success.

This past year, we had a strategic planning meeting, where we developed four pillars on ARA’s three-year path.

The pillars include Data, Advocacy, Education and Certification Compliance, and Strategic Partnerships.

They impact every one of ARA’s committees.

We initiated the Awareness Committee, which works to guide effective member and outside communications, with the goal of attracting new members. This committee September-October 2023 // 25

is conducting a professional marketing audit of ARA communications to determine what direction is best to meet internal and outreach goals. Also, they will create a new website in the next year make it more useful for members and to maximize our exposure to the world.

The training through ARA University is a great educational resource for members, and we are also creating new training to update and refresh it, including Spanish translations on some courses. The Certification Committee and Interchange Committee continue to increase their impact on a recyclers’ credibility and profitability.

Jose Angel Valdez, Greg Daurio and Nick Daurio.

AR: What lessons did you learned from the certification process?

DAURIO: I was serious about the becoming certified, and for many years, it was a goal of mine. Unfortunately, I felt that I was too busy, and my staff was too busy. I believe this is the same for others who are not certified.

We decided to do it, even though we always kept our property and warehouse very clean. We had our house in order, you know, as far as our grounds, containment, signage, storage, freon removal, tires, oil, and antifreeze, all the things you want to do right.

So, I visited a few auto recyclers how they were accomplishing their certification.

After doing my homework, I thought it would be a shoe in, no problem. We started Tara Patty Photography working on it and, when ready, hired a third-party auditor to come out. Let’s just say, I got my first “F” I’ve ever gotten in my life. We failed.

We didn’t have our rainwater permit done correctly, for which I was surprised. We didn’t have tires covered outside. Our rainwater outfalls were good, but not perfect.

Our record keeping was good, but it wasn’t perfect.

We accepted our failure and instead of quitting, we got things corrected. Now, we’re in rural Colorado, so I could have thought, ‘who’s going to check me,’ but that wasn’t my attitude. If I was going to start something, I was going to finish it. In one year, we went from failing to A+ on the next audit.

It took time and a little bit of money, but what I learned in that year was that every staff member in the company started holding one another accountable, and it made the leadership’s job a bit easier. The importance of having an emphasis on what happens in day-to-day operations to prevent things from getting out of hand just takes the right training.

Fast forward four years, one day recently three auditors show up from the state of Colorado, with two EPA officers. They gave us two business days’ notice of their impending visit. I was very nervous about it, but also, I

26 // September-October 2023

was excited to really know how we would rate knowing the success that we should have from our certification work. There wasn’t one question or one item that our auditors asked us to provide that we didn’t have an answer for. And for the most part, my son Greg knew most of the answers to questions about our numbers of fluids processed. If it was a regulatory question, those answers are also documented in our CAR paperwork.

One auditor even asked to take some photographs to illustrate to other recyclers in other places on how to do things the right way.

Greg asked the auditors if they knew how to determine what a professional automotive recycler is, and then asked if they knew what the ARA is – and we were surprised they really didn’t know. So, it goes back to the earlier point on awareness. Who knows who we are? Where are we failing? Who do we need to educate? Not only governmental and regulatory, but insurance companies, repair facilities, repair shops, our neighbors, our city, local government – the list is long.

And at the end of our audit, I asked the auditors, ‘would you have a chat with our staff and tell them who you are, what agency you’re from, and why you were here.’ And they said, ‘Absolutely.’ So they introduce themselves. They explained what our audit was about and why they were there. The praise that they gave our staff was incredible on how our audit went, and on the performance that they achieved.

Just recently, we achieved ARA Gold Seal Certification was a real highlight of mine. It was a very, very proud as a company and probably one of our proudest moments as a team.

AR: This year, what is your goal?

DAURIO: My emphasis going forward, besides what we have discussed already, is that I strongly feel that we’ve been junkyards since day one, and people are going to look for us on Google that way. We can accept that fact, but we don’t have to operate like the name reflects.

AR: I’m always asked, what is your return on investment for certification? Or, what does it cost you in the time involved with a certification program?

DAURIO: Yes, Whatever effort it took us is far surpassed by the ongoing results we experience.

Yes, we’ve increased our sales since getting certified.

Our process efficiency is ongoing every day. We’ve saved time by always keeping the facility clean and efficient, instead of wasted time spent on big cleanup days. Yet, the biggest return on this investment for me, personally, is knowing that if five regulators show up at our facility – as they did – I have confidence that our team effort in certification will result in passing with high marks, every time, and pride knowing that we did the work to make that happen.

We all have a next step, what is yours?

Automotive Recycling

ARA LEADERSHIP

MEET THE NEW SECRETARY

Sean Krause, Speedway Auto Parts

As the second generation owner of Speedway Auto Parts, Sean Krause brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role at ARA.

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By Caryn Smith

RA announced that Sean Krause from Speedway Auto Parts in Joliet, IL is the incoming the Association Executive Committee Secretary for 2023-2024. Sean is the CEO of the company along with his father, Paul Krause, who is currently still active and working at Speedway.

Speedway was established by Paul & Indra Krause in May of 1969. Paul and Indra came from England to build the ‘American Dream.’ Paul was working in the parking lots of downtown Chicago for his stepfather when he first came to America. He didn’t like working so far in the city or for someone else and wanted to start his own company. Paul saw an advertisement in the Chicago Tribune for salvage yard and house for sale and he bought it in the same year his son, Sean, was born and moved his family to Romeoville, IL. In 1991, Sean joined the family business after attending St. Norbert College in Wisconsin studying business and finance. He had grown up in the business, but never showed any real interest in the industry until his senior year at college.

Sean finally realized that his father needed him most and he also saw it as a great opportunity to join the family business.

During his first weekend out of college, Sean’s father, Paul, sent him to ARA convention in Chicago. He never imagined how interesting used auto parts were and the many possibilities of recycling automotive parts.

Sean Krause of Speedway Auto, Ltd. in He started attending convenJoliet, Illinois has been nominated to join tions, thereby, gaining wisdom the Executive Committee as Secretary for through education and training 2023-2024.

28 // September-October 2023

and was asked to serve on committees and boards throughout the industry.

For more than 20 years, he has served on the board of Auto Truck Recyclers of Illinois (ATRI) and was promoted to President. “Sean is a role model for this industry,” said Michelle Lechner, executive director of ATRI. “He stays connected in the industry by keeping involved.” Sean was instrumental in passing the mercury bill in Illinois and helped push for a state green card program. Recently, he was in Springfield talking with representatives about electronic junk titles. Back in 2008, Sean was named one of the most influential recycler of the year

by Parts Locator and was on the front cover of Upfront magazine and during the same time served as the ARA Regional Director in Illinois.

Sean is currently on the vendor relations committee for Team PRP. Prior to Team PRP and QRP merging, Sean served on the QRP board as well.

When Sean is not serving on industry boards, he is helping the community by being the Secretary on the Nature Foundation of Will County and supporting and sponsoring many local organizations such as the Spanish Community Center, Joliet Junior Women’s Club, Purple Project, United Way, Easter Seals and many more.

Sean has also held many coaching positions within the Joliet Jaguars and Romeville Huskies hockey clubs. In his spare time, he likes to watch his kids play sports, go boating on the river and play golf with his wife and children – Max (age 21), Cameron (age 18) and Sophia (age 13). Sean’s hope is that one of them will want to join the business and possibly take it over so he and Coleen will travel the world. This year, Sean and his wife, Coleen, are looking forward to celebrating their 25th anniversary together and planning a trip to Europe.

Today, Speedway sits on 10 acres with 70,000-sq-ft warehouse with over 30 employees and four delivery trucks that run daily and coordinate through the EZ QC work order management flow. Sean also manages his other 30 commercial and real estate properties with his father. Without a great team behind him at Speedway, Sean would not be able to commit the time to ARA. “We have been a member of ARA since 1972 and I am honored to join the Executive Committee,” said Krause.

“I look forward to giving back and contributing value, Automotive Recycling

but I still have a lot to learn and re-learn. Before accepting the position, I called Marty from Northlake for his advice and his support then agreed to the position knowing I have the support of fellow board members and a great association behind me. My strengths are helping people connect in this industry and I plan to use that to focus on certification and how important it is to be “Gold Seal,” not only for accolades but for the safety of all our employees too.”

Krause will be formally confirmed by the ARA Board of Directors and Membership during the ARA’s 80th Annual Convention and Exposition taking place October 12-14th in Kansas City, Missouri.

“Sean has been in auto recycling “Sean has been in for 32 years. In addition to that, auto recycling for 32 years. In addiSean is a hardworking, hands-on tion to that, Sean guy and he is concerned with what is a hardworking, hands-on guy and is best for the industry.” he is concerned –MARTY HOLLINGSHEAD with what is best for the industry.

He will do a great job and will be a great addition to an already great team,” said Marty Hollingshead, Immediate Past President and chairman of ARA’s Nominating Committee.

What was it about the business that your father built that drew you to it out of college? How did you feel you could contribute to its success? I was very green back then, what drew me to the business was I saw my older friends struggling to get good jobs and decided to take the opportunity to join the family business. I had worked in the business since I was seven years old doing windows, cleaning parts, etc. My father never dreamed I would join the business, but I did and the rest is history.

Please share your prior industry service or positions in state chapters or ARA. I was regional director of ARA I believe in 2007-2010; I was on the Auto & Truck Recyclers board for 20 years and serviced as President for two or three years of that; I served on the QRP board for several years as well; currently on the Team PRP vendor relations committee.

Why is now the best time to say yes to service on the ARA EC? It has been a few years since I was involved with ARA and thought it was time to start giving back again.

Plus, my children are older so that makes it much easier to make time for ARA. What do you expect to get from your experience on the EC? Well, it is early, luckily I have been able to learn and listen on a few calls, so I would say it is too early really to say what I expect out of this position.

What perspectives, insights or vision do you think ARA can benefit from in your time of service at this level?

I believe it is a team effort, we have some extremely 30 // September-October 2023

dedicated men and women currently on the EC that have given hours upon hours to develop programs for our membership. I hope the my 32 years of experience, the good, bad, and ugly can help the EC and our members streamline their businesses through ARA education and training programs.

What are you passionate about when it comes to automotive recycling? This industry is second to none, there isn’t another industry out there that strives to help one another get better. Most are so eager to help other recyclers get better. I believe this is the strength in our industry, almost like family.

As a long-term ARA member, how has that connection to ARA helped your business growth? ARA has been an incredible networking opportunity. When I was young I would walk by the booths, because I was a little bit shy to engage. But, then my wife was doing trade shows for her industry and said you need to engage with your vendors. That is why they are there to sell their products – to make Speedway better. Well, I listened and truly respect all those that sacrifice their weekends standing at those booths. Plus, I have become good friends with several of them over the years.

What is the significant value that ARA brings to the industry and to ARA members from your perspective?

Training and education, the modules that ARA have built to make our members better are fantastic. Honestly, the hardest part for the recycler is getting their people to the table to stop and watch, so much great information. Also, the relationship that ARA has built on an International platform, very impressive.

What obstacles or advancements do you think the next generation will encounter in coming years? Of course, the future of the electric vehicles; this will impact so many different industries. Also, I believe with technology the buying, selling, inventorying, etc. will evolve.

We all have to stay in the know. I believe ARA does a very good job of doing this for their membership.

What is your perspective on the future of certification and the industry? I believe the certification will become a must as we work with more and more companies like eBay that will give us greater opportunities to sell our parts faster. Also, the social media platforms are quite complex. I had to hire someone much younger than me to handle this project of getting our name out there through social media, Google analytics, etc.

What is unique to your business or experience that you would like others to know? My parents are the American dream; we started out in a house trailer and a mud pit. It is my responsibility to protect and carry on my parents’ legacy. I have three children, ages 21, 18, and 13, and maybe someday they can join the business.

For more information on Speedway Auto Parts, Ltd., visit www.speedwayap.com or to contact Sean directly at sean.krause@speedwayap.com or call the main office at 815-726-0666.

Automotive Recycling

BUSINESS

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PRODUC T S PROFI T S Trading groups within the automotive recycling industry are making inroads in providing sought-after products and fulfilling customer orders each and every time.

he third person in as many days called to request a part that your company doesn’t have in stock. Rather than turning down a potential sale or turning away a potential customer, more and more auto recyclers are turning to trading groups to ensure every customer request is fulfilled in a timely and efficient manner.

“Trading groups have been around the industry in some form or fashion for many years,” says Brian Dean, general manager at JC Auto & Truck Parts in Monroe City, MO. “A trading group can be as simple as a small group of recyclers that agree to broker parts from one another, to a much more complex arrangement where the members of the group actually have ownership in a company or cooperative that involves marketing, trading, and

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transportation of parts between the facilities that includes standardized warranties, return policies and packaging guidelines, such as PRP.” Premium Recycled Parts (PRP) recently acquired the Midwest Runner freight network, which has created a system that touches about 280 recyclers around the country, including full PRP members and affiliates.

Newly formed Team PRP now operates the largest trading and shipping network in the industry – not only providing a network for trade and freight, but also promoting its cultural values of helping one another, accountability, trust, education, and selflessness for the independent auto recycler.

“Team PRP provides an opportunity for recyclers to trade and work with the best facilities around the country, and gives progressive recyclers a means of Automotive Recycling

iStockphoto.com/SergeyVasutin

By Maura Keller

the delivery of parts across three separate groups in the growing their business outside of their local market,” Southeast, Texas and the Northeast.

Dean says. JC Auto & Truck Parts first became a member Wroten started RCD in February 2015 and has been of trading group QRP Midwest in the early 2000s. Dean in the auto salvage business for more than 20 years. served on the board of directors for QRP for several years “It doesn’t really matter what size you are, as long before QRP Midwest merged with PRP where he served as you produce a good part, you have a warranty, you as President in 2016 and 2017, and is currently serving back your parts, and you pay your bills – those really on the Team PRP board. are the things that define whether you can be a part of a As a general rule, the primary value of a trading group trading group,” Wroten says. “You’re voted in based on is to improve the chances of fulfilling every order that recommendations. You have to have two sponsors to get comes in. According to Jarret Hann, executive director into the group. And then you have to be voted on and at Team PRP, each Team PRP member uses the identical approved by 75% or more of the group. So the trading quality assurance program based on ISO 9000 standards. group has a say in who participates. But it is basically This means that the nationwide label of being a part of really simple. If you run a good auto recycling business, Team PRP indicates to consumers, repairers, collision it can be a good match.” centers and estimators that they will receive consistently high-quality parts from members of the trading group.

“Depending on the size of a recycler’s in-stock invenCombined Efforts tory, there’s only a chance they will have the part in stock In spring 2023, Team PRP acquired the Midwest and available. As a part of a trading group, they have Runner network, a long-standing trading group within access to the entire group’s inventory via a network of the automotive recycling industry. In the lead up to that, trucks and warehouses, and can fulfill the order without both Team PRP and Midwest Runner were growing and the end customer realizing that the part is being sourced there was significant overlap in the services provided, from outside their existing inventory,” Hann says. “The which was causing obvious inefficiencies. benefit is two-fold, in that both buying and selling, recy“In addition to being a successful provider of transclers grow their business and their bottom line.” portation services, Karl Milliron, founder and owner of Indeed, as Hann further explains, the ability to say Midwest Runner, is an owner of a recycling facility, and “yes” to every sale means that when you can say “yes, he has always had the best interest of the industry in we have the part” in every instance, it builds stronger mind,” Hann says. “At the end of the day, we both knew relationships with customers and helps to grow business that recyclers just wanted to ship parts and grow their revenue and new selling opportunities. businesses. The network they did it on was a secondary For Dean, one of the largest benefits to trading groups consideration. We shared a common view that bringing is the increase in sales or the ability to procure more broeverything under one big network would better serve the kered parts because of the relationships from trading individual recycler, and the industry as a whole.” within the group.

Hann points out that the benefits of the merger are “Typically the guidelines and expectations for the many – the most obvious one is growing trading routes trading group members will also cause you to focus on streamlining Depending on the size of a recycler’s in-stock inventory, there’s only a production processes and chance they will have the part in stock and available. As a part of a trading quality control within your facility as well,” group, they have access to the entire group’s inventory via a network of Dean says. “Being a trucks and warehouses, and can fulfill the order without the end customer member of a transportarealizing that the part is being sourced from outside their existing inventory. tion group with a shipping network can also lead to increased market share in your local market as is it gives you access to and regions, as well as other facets related to the economore inventory that can be delivered with a much lower mies of scale. freight cost and time frame then if you had to rely solely “Prior to the merger, it wasn’t cost-effective for either on conventional shipping methods. With data tiering Team PRP or Midwest Runner to set-up and staff a wareand duplicating, the trading group allows you to say ‘yes’ house in Pennsylvania, for example, because the volume more often to the customer.” of freight couldn’t offset the costs,” Hann says. “Now, Bo Wroten, owner of Recyclers Cross Dock (RCD) with all our facilities under one banner, we have that in Leesburg, FL, a logistics company that aids indepenvolume, which means faster transit times between the dent automotive recyclers with next day delivery of Mid-Atlantic recyclers and New England and other new parts among RCD members, works with Team PRP in opportunities for trade.”

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Automotive Recycling

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At the time of the merger, Midwest Runner and Recyclers Cross Dock were already trading but they were not trading with any of the PRP yards as most of them were exclusive.

“But now with the merger, we are trading with PRP yards so it has opened up the field and provided our group with more people to trade,” Wroten says. “And the same now goes for PRP – there are people that they weren’t trading with that they now have access to. In this industry, when your very best customer calls you, 65% of the time you don’t have what they’re looking for. So you’ve got to get it from somewhere else or you’ve got to tell them ‘no.’ You need to broker a part from somewhere, trading groups makes brokering much easier.”

Another benefit of the merger is having cohesive rules pertaining to part preparation and how parts are shipped.

“With one set of rules that everyone has to abide by, we can market Team PRP to end customers, insurers, etc. and take a bigger bite out of the overall market,” Hann says.

“The future is bright for the industry.”

Team PRP is the largest trading group of recyclers in the world with over 280 facilities in 40 states shipping over 70,000 parts per month through our 18 warehouses.

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Determining a Fit For automotive recyclers considering joining a trading group, there are some things to consider in determining if it is a right fit for their company.

Team PRP is the largest trading group of recyclers in the world with over 280 facilities in 40 states shipping over 70,000 parts per month through our 18 warehouses.

“We are a group of professional recycling partners shipping premium recycled parts. We take like words ‘professional,’ ‘partners,’ and ‘premium’ very seriously,” Hann says. “So determining whether a trading group like Team PRP is right for your facility really depends on whether you’re willing to meet the expectations for quality and dependability.”

One of the first things auto recyclers need to consider is if there are any upfront costs associated with being a part of the trading group, from monthly dues to a fixed freight component.

According to Dean, recyclers also will need to figure out how much of an increase in sales it will take to cover those costs and also if their current staff can handle the increased volume of parts being shipped and that the production and order fulfillment processes can meet the requirements that the trading group requires.

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As with any new processes or procedures, some established recyclers who have systems in place have concerns about the effort it may take to be part of a trading group.

“We’ll need to hire extra people” and “we’re not going to be ready for the increase in our business volumes,” are two common concerns Team PRP hears from recyclers evaluating trading groups. “Brokered parts revenues account between 30 to 40% of overall revenues for our top performing facilities, so the challenges are far and away good ones for a recycler’s business,” Hann says.

To further identify if a trading group is a good fit for a recycler, Wroten puts recyclers into three categories.

“First, you’ve got what we call ‘feeder yards.’ They have a large inventory that they can provide parts to other folks, so they sell a lot to other salvage yards. And then you’ve got buying yards which have a big base of people that they sell to, such as body shops and mechanic shops. They never can get enough parts so they’re buying from these feeder yards. Finally, you have ones that are like 50/50 – they buy as much as they sell in the system,” Wroten says. “So some buy more than they sell. Others sell more than they buy and some do about the same. Depending on what type of yard you are, the benefit can be that if you’ve got a lot of parts and not a lot of customers, you would be a feeder yard, so you’d be selling your parts to other salvage yards.”

Dean also recommends recyclers ask a lot of questions about the trading group’s expectations –from warranty to packaging, to returns and even acceptable payment terms between members. “Speak with owners and managers of the current facilities within the group to see what advice they would give you based on their experience when the first joined and if their expectations have been met since becoming a member,” Dean says.

Hann recommends that any recycler who is considering joining a trading group come to an industry conference, and/or talk to recyclers that are already in a network.

“I’m biased, but as this industry goes through another round of private equity funded consolidation, independent recyclers should be looking for every opportunity to stay competitive and growing their bottom line,” Hann says. “Brokering parts with trusted partners should be a strategic opportunity recyclers make full use of – to grow, thrive and ensure long-term success.”

Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Maura Keller is a seasoned writer, editor, and published author, with more than 20 years of experience. She frequently writes for various regional and national publications.

Automotive Recycling

iStockphoto.com/Rawpixel

BUSINESS

I N P L A I N S I G H T:

Best Practices in Current

Marketing Trends Identifying and leveraging the right tools to build auto recycling company brand recognition is easy with a strong foundation.

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By Caryn Smith

utomotive recycling companies focus on business-to-business relationships to advance, and often that is enough to leverage growing profits. Yet, marketing strategies should not be ignored – as they say, “out of sight, out of mind.”

Where to start and what to utilize is often a challenge, because return on investment of time and dollars spent is hard to track. But marketing efforts are vital to maintain and improve the brand reputation of both companies and the industry as a whole.

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“The auto recycling industry is the most misunderstood industry in the world,” says Scott Robertson, Jr., president and co-owner at Robertson’s Auto Salvage and former president of ARA. “We are perceived by many as dirty mob-run business that are polluters and bad for the environment. We are portrayed this way in the movie and television entertainment industry. The only news coverage we seem to get is for fires, defective parts, mountains of unwanted tires, and poor operators. If we do not tell our story, we leave it up to others to formulate how the world looks at us.”

Marty Hollingshead, president of Northlake Auto Recyclers, stresses that auto recyclers need to focus on the marAutomotive Recycling

keting aspect of their companies in order to communicate who the industry really is and what we really do.

“We have a great story to tell, especially in this day and age where sustainability, the carbon foot print, and the environment are concerned. We are a carbon negative industry and we have been along,” Hollingshead says. “We offer cost effective alternatives to new parts and we help to keep older vehicles in use longer. While this industry can be described as ‘the good, bad and ugly,’ all the good operators are environmentally compliant and are good stewards of the environment as well as good citizens and operators in the communities they serve. We offer long-term employment that pays a living wage at the very times these types of jobs are disappearing. But as an industry we have done a terrible job of building awareness. Generally speaking, most people don’t know who we really are or what we really do. Unfortunately, we suffer the stigma of the junk yard image.”

For smaller companies, the real challenge lies in having dedicated time to focus on it, with all the other duties of running a company. For larger companies, regular program optimization is key.

As Gary Lindros, vice president at Ace Pick-A-Park explains, auto recyclers have several unique challenges when it comes to marketing.

“We have to promote the benefits of our parts over new OEM parts. We have to break the stigma of collision and repair shops and show that a used part is the part of choice, for fit, function and value,” Lindros says. “In this era of computerized repair quoting its increasingly hard to get considered as a top vendor, so reaching out becomes increasingly important as algorithms begin to steer choices more every day. Direct contact still counts for a great deal.

Have your sales staff reach out to active and non-active clients regularly.

“We need to look at what marketing is and realize its more than promotional pen left at a body shop. Quality parts, clean delivery trucks, accurate part descriptions are all a piece of how you market your company,” Lindros says. “Auto recyclers are such a diverse group of people that come up with great ideas, keep coming up with things out of the ordinary.”

Let’s delve into highlights of time-well-spent strategies to consider bringing brand recognition to your business, starting at square one.

“Every company needs to make themselves known. If a customer doesn’t know you exist and the type and quality of your goods, you won’t be in business long,” says Lindros. “Not every business will be able to launch a multimillion dollar marketing effort, but even small steps will help to get your business noticed. Getting seen by new clients will increase the parts you sell, heck even getting noticed more often by existing clients will be good for your bottom line. Sending a consistent message of the quality product you sell and the services you offer can help raise your company’s perception and set you on par or above your competitors.”

A successful sales approach for companies in the automotive recycling industry utilizes common sense components to selling products, such as: • Offering customization options, such as size variations or branding opportunities, to cater to customers seeking personalized solutions.

• Building strong relationships with customers by providing exceptional service, maintaining open communication channels, and promptly addressing any concerns or inquiries will foster trust and repeat business.

• Showcasing practicality, durability, environmental benefits, and adaptability to meet the diverse needs of businesses across various industries.

To set your company apart from outside industry competitors, emphasizing the sustainability aspect of recycled automotive parts, such as their recyclability and ecofriendly nature, is a key compelling selling point in today’s environmentally conscious market. ARA offers help in this area with a marketing campaign aimed at explaining to consumers the many benefits of choosing recycled parts in a very casual, approachable way. The campaign materials are available to all ARA and affiliate chapter members and consists of three television commercials, three radio spots, six print ads, six billboards – all of which can be customized for individual automotive recycling facilities.

Any of these ARA resources offers shareable content for a company’s social media and marketing efforts, as well as verifiable data to back up claims.

These resources are available for free via the Drop Box link below: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d22zu632spdol2d/ AAANBiEiGWxwvxTUoIvs_0JJa?dl=0

Understanding Your Value – and Selling It

Those who run small- to medium-sized businesses can be ones that struggle building and maintaining a marketing and social media presence. Many automotive recycling companies are owned and operated by mixed-generation families or sole owners, and their limited time is best spent on building the part of the business that has bottom-line ROI attached – securing and selling used automotive parts.

Yet, broader company brand recognition is not something to be ignored, and it isn’t all just about quality product, service, and price.

Selling recycled automotive products requires a strategic approach that highlights their value and addresses specific needs of present and potential customers. First and foremost, it’s crucial to understand your company’s target market and identify those customers that heavily rely on recycling auto parts. By tailoring the sales pitch and marketing efforts to resonate with their unique requirements, one can effectively position their company’s recycled auto parts as a reliable and practical solution.

Automotive Recycling

Telling a Big Story with Limited Resources

September-October 2023 // 37

“Most think it is expensive, and in many cases it is, but there are many things you can do that is cheap,” Robertson says. “Write an article for your local newspaper, have an open house, speak to a reporter in hopes they run To get likes, a story. All of these cost nothing.” comments, Hollingshead says a business definitely shares, retweets, should have a good website. or responses, “While e-commerce can takes many forms encourage we need to look at what drives business to conversation, our stores. First of all, a current and competrespond to itive price. Second, good images of what we comments, and are selling, and lastly and most important, an initiate discussions. accurate description that the average Joe can Engaging with your understand,” Hollingshead says. “For those audience shows that have phone systems that can track their that you value calls they will see that the quantity of phone their opinions and calls is trending downward, but the quality of fosters a sense of the phone calls is trending upward. What this community. means are less phone calls of ‘Do you have it?’ and more calls of ‘I see you have it.’”

In terms of the marketing strategies that the Northlake team uses, there is “no secret sauce, it boils down simple stuff.”

“We work hard, do a good job and always fair and honest with all of our customer,” Hollingshead says. “The best marketing has and always will be work of mouth. Pay close attention to what customers and others have to say about your company. Ask for feedback, good, bad or ugly.

Use this information to make your company better.”

For those who are afraid to take the first step into building brand recognition, here are some simple suggestions to get going.

ST EP T WO : Make a Commitment: You need

consistency to successfully create a vibrant company persona. Nothing is accomplished if an effort is started and then abandoned, leaving behind outdated data behind in the wake.

If no one in your company can do it, seek help from outside sources. Make it an official part-time job in your company with accountability, not as a favor.

Create a plan of action to guide that person on their duties. Make a list of 10-15 topics to cover and then set a frequency of effort. Cycle through the list, as needed. On timing, keep it manageable – once a week or bi-weekly is fine to get started.

“It almost seems funny to say, but when is the last time you checked your website for accuracy? Do you have new sales staff that haven’t been added? Have your weekend hours changed? Are you servicing any new surrounding areas with your delivery trucks? Keeping the face of your company up to date and appealing is as important as unlocking your door in the morning. I guarantee more people look at your web page than walk through that door,” Lindros says.

ST EP T H R EE: Choose a Platform, or Two: Where do your target market and potential customers hang out? LinkedIn has gained popularity in recent years. But many still use Facebook and Twitter, so don’t ignore them. Keep it simple, and doable, to follow through.

Each of these platforms offer scheduling tools to help with your planning.

Create a corporate page and populate it with diverse posts before engaging with others. Make sure all social media leads back to your website, as well.

ST EP ONE : Maximize Your Website: You must

ST EP FO U R : Create Engaging Messages: Several

have a current and well-executed website in place. First impressions are critical. Hiring a marketing professional to develop your website is an investment in future business. Overall, it should have: • User-Friendly Interface: Users should be able to find the information they need quickly and easily, without confusion or frustration. It should be well-designed, intuitive, and easy to navigate.

• Interesting Content: It should be engaging, informative, and relevant to the target audience, including wellwritten articles and blogs.

• Compatibility: A great website must be responsive and compatible across different screen sizes and devices.

• Current Features: Keep your website fresh. The key is not to set it and neglect it.

“Google, the 800-pound gorilla of the internet is the yellow pages of the 21st century,” Lindros says. “You have to be in there. Your listing has to be accurate, and you have to address the reviews both positive and negative that get posted about your business.”

factors contribute to the success of a social media post: • Relevance: Posts or emails directed to a target audience should align with their interests, needs, and preferences.

Understanding your audience and tailoring your content to them.

• Clear Objective: Whether it’s to inform, entertain, inspire, or drive a specific action, the post should have a clear purpose, such as increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or driving website traffic.

• Compelling Headline or Caption: Concise, intriguing, and friendly headlines encourage people to click, read, or engage with the content.

• Call to Action (CTA): Ask users to like, comment, share, follow, visit a website, or participate in a contest.

• Timing and Consistency: Know when your target audience is active on social media or email. Consistency builds trust and helps establish a connection with your audience.

• Hashtags and Keywords: Relevant hashtags and keywords in your social media posts can increase their discoverability. Create your own company hashtag(s).

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Automotive Recycling

Research trending/popular hashtags in your niche to use in your content.

• User Engagement and Interactions: To get likes, comments, shares, retweets, or responses, encourage conversation, respond to comments, and initiate discussions.

Engaging with your audience shows that you value their opinions and fosters a sense of community.

• Analyze and Adapt: To gauge success, learn how to pay attention to metrics like reach, engagement rate, open rate, click-through rate, and conversions.

Lastly, and maybe most important: • Develop a Content Strategy. Consider these: • Educational Content: Share informative and helpful content about recycled auto parts. This can be as blog articles, videos, infographics, or social media posts.

• Case Studies and Testimonials: Showcase successful recycled auto parts implementation stories from your customers. Use these in posts, your website, and promotional materials.

• Visual Content: Recycled auto parts might not be inherently visually appealing, but you can leverage creative visuals to make your content more engaging.

Use high-quality images, videos, and graphics to demonstrate the quality, durability, and versatility.

Automotive Recycling

Advanced Tactics to Increase Success For companies that already have a vibrant social media marketing plan, maybe it is time to go to the next level.

Make sure your mission, vision and outcomes are aligned with your company’s long-range goals. Here are some suggestions to advance your efforts:

Defining Statements A vision statement is a concise declaration of an organization’s long-term aspirations and the future it seeks to create. It should guide desired outcomes a company aims to achieve. It should be ambitious, as well as realistic, and capable of uniting people under a shared purpose. Two aspects are: • Vision statement – the big-picture idea of what your world, community or audience will look like when you succeed at your mission.

• Organizational vision – what your organization will look like in the future, usually encompassing a three-year timeframe, for instance.

A mission statement defines what an organization is, why it exists, its reason for being. It outlines the fundamental purpose and articulates the core activities, values, and principles that drive

September-October 2023 // 39

the organization’s day-to-day operations. It should be clear, succinct, and most importantly, actionable.

Optimizing Your Social Media By adopting strategies and utilizing the right platforms, businesses can effectively reach their target audiences, build strong brands, and drive tangible results in the modern marketing ecosystem. LinkedIn has emerged as a powerful platform for B2B marketing, enabling professionals to connect, network, and share industry insights, and one used by top auto recycling company professionals. Businesses should focus on the following social media best practices: • Optimize Corporate Profiles: A corporate page should reflect your company values, and effectively state its core business. Craft a compelling headline, use a crisp logo, a high-quality banner photo/image, and create a well-written summary that highlights your company and expertise.

THE ARA AWARENESS COMMITTEE ARA aims to further the automotive recycling industry through various services and programs to increase public awareness of the industry’s role in conserving the future through automotive recycling and to foster awareness of the industry’s value as a high quality, low cost alternative for the automotive consumer. As part of this effort, ARA has established an Awareness Committee, a newly formed committee that looks at the variety of information and messages ARA is delivering to member, non-members as well as other associated industries and works to ensure that it is correctly presented.

“The committee looks at how that information is being showcased, at tradeshows, on websites, in email correspondences and association announcements,” says Gary Lindros, vice president at Ace Pick-A-Part. “The job of the committee is to make sure that the volumes of knowledge, news and know how that ARA is constantly collecting and developing is effectively showcased for our members, our industry partners and the public at large.”

According to Scott Robertson, Jr., the committee was formed to promote the benefits of ARA within the automotive recycling industry.

“Many within our industry are not aware of what exactly ARA does and the benefits of being a member,” Robertson says. “We are conducting an audit of our communication methods to better reach and serve the industry. We are reviewing and editing industrypointed flyers and web sites. We will also start promoting our industry to others, including legislators, other associations, other industries, and the general public.”

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• Optimize Personal Business Profiles: Build a profes-

sional business profile that is on par with your corporate strategy. Share your corporate posts to this page regularly, as well as interesting posts from others.

• Engage with relevant content: Regularly post insightful content, participate in industry discussions, and engage with your connections by commenting and sharing their posts. Encourage your employees to share your news on their page.

• Utilize LinkedIn Groups: Join relevant groups and actively contribute valuable insights to establish thought leadership and expand your network. It is also a way to attract new talent into your company and get feedback on ideas.

“Social media requirements can vary by the business.

You should take some time and consider what you want to get out of social media,” Lindros says. “Some go for retail, others go for professional outreach, while others use it as a way to give insight into their company. I’m in the self-service side of the business so we are retail focused with presences on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. A full-service yard needs a Facebook and Linked In page at the minimum. You might not sell parts directly off sites like these (some business do though), but all of these sites are highways that will help your business connect and profit.”

A Word on Email Marketing We would be remiss not to mention email marketing.

For companies with large contact databases, a valuable e-mail marketing platform is HubSpot, which nurtures leads and drives conversions. It is all-in-one inbound marketing and sales platform that offers a suite of tools to attract, engage, and convert leads. Other platforms that suit smaller lists are Constant Contact and MailChimp, both which offer free versions.

Building a Brand to Trust Building a strong brand identity sets a business apart from its competitors and fosters trust and loyalty among customers. From vision and mission to choices in messaging and platforms, your communications help to develop a clear and consistent brand voice and tone that aligns with your values.

One step at a time, you can build customer confidence, and attract new like-minded clients who need your services, as well as appreciate your company’s expertise – which is reenforced regularly in your marketing campaigns.

Caryn Smith is the editor of Automotive Recycling magazine, and has been covering the industry for over 20 years. She is a freelance writer for industry publications, such as Recycling Today.

Automotive Recycling

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

IS ZERO EMISSIONS

EVEN POSSIBLE? How the historic transition to 50% EVs by 2030 and zero emissions by 2050 will impact auto recyclers.

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ith U.S. government mandates in place requiring 50 percent of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030 and the goal of netzero emissions by 2050, experts are weighing in on the historic transition to EVs and how it will impact all industry segments, including auto recyclers.

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iStockphoto.com/WANAN YOSSINGKUM

By Stacey Phillips

“Whether you doubt the existence of climate change, grid capacity, or have range anxiety, EVs are going to be manufactured and sold in great numbers and eventually end up becoming an end-of-life (EOL) vehicle that will be introduced into our business models in the future,” said Scott Robertson, Jr., president of Robertson’s Auto Salvage. Robertson co-owns the family business in Wareham, MA, with his brother, David.

As a past president and current ARA board member, as well as a board member for the Automotive Recycling Training Institute (ARTI), Robertson foresees the EV government mandates moving ahead as projected.

Automotive Recycling

iStockphoto.com/HREDASOVA OLHA

“There are always going to be naysayers,” he said. “The 100% electric vehicle is not for everybody, but it suits the needs of a large percentage of the population.”

When people hear the word “EV,” Robertson said they tend to think about 100% electric vehicles. However, plug-in hybrids and alternative fuel cell transportation like hydrogen are also future options.

“We’re commending the government on their aggressive approach and goal to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles,” said Emil Nusbaum, ARA’s Vice President of Strategy and Government and Regulatory Affairs, who received his Doctor of Law degree from the University of Maryland and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional in the U.S. (CIPP/US). “It’s good to see that the government is pushing for this shift to electrification and for vehicles to have a lower carbon footprint.”

He said ARA is encouraged by the heavy government investment in battery technology throughout a vehicle’s lifecycle – ranging from mining to the reuse and recycling of EOL batteries. Investments are also being mirrored by the private sector.

“That is what ultimately is going to be necessary if we’re going to come close to meeting those mandates and aggressive goals by 2030,” he noted.

Although he said ARA commends the support of government and the private sector, “on the flip side, we want to make sure that this transition is conducted effectively.”

Sandy Blalock, executive director of ARA, said the issues concerning emissions have been around for a long time and need to be resolved.

“However, mandating that the fleet be 50% EV by 2030 might be a stretch,” she said. “There is a lot in play to get to zero emissions because just over 60% of utility-scale electricity today is still generated by fossil fuels so the infrastructure is a huge part of assuring that number can be obtained and sustainable.”

Marty Hollingshead, president and owner of Northlake Auto Recyclers and immediate past president of ARA, said he is taking a pragmatic approach to the government mandates.

“It’s probably not going to happen unless there is some change in technology,” predicted Hollingshead, who operates a late-model automotive recycling facility in Hammond, IN. The challenge, according to Hollingshead, is energy capacity.

“We’re at capacity as far as our ability to generate electricity for our current demand,” he said. “Unless this country wants to re-adopt nuclear power, there’s no way we’re going to be able to generate enough electricity to supply the demand needed.”

Hollingshead foresees EVs being utilized in metropolitan areas where pollution is a concern, and range as well as driving distance isn’t an issue.

Automotive Recycling

Additional barriers involve the availability of raw materials.

“Projections show that massive penetration of EVs will strain material supplies, both in the U.S. and globally,” said Dr. Linda Gaines, an environmental scientist and systems analyst at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, IL. “The current path is probably unrealistic and I’m not alone in thinking that. There needs to be something different that happens along the way.”

Founded in 1946, Argonne National Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center owned by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and administered by the University of Chicago. An essential part of the lab’s work includes researching battery production and the manufacturing cycle. For example, scientists pioneered the technology contained in the Chevrolet Volt’s battery.

“Any vehicle that has a high-voltage battery has to be handled in a different manner than an ICE car and employees need to be trained.”

Gaines joined the lab in 1976 and currently examines energy use and the flow and processing of materials in the transportation sector as part of the Energy Systems and Infrastructure Analysis division. Recently, Gaines’ research has focused on analyzing process options for recycling lithium-ion batteries.

“It became fairly clear that these materials were going to be in tremendous demand, so I’ve been looking at technologies for recycling,” she said.

In 2019, she helped found ReCell, a lithium-ion battery recycling research and development center launched by the DOE. ReCell is a collaboration of four national labs, the private sector and universities to develop advanced technologies that safely and cost-effectively recycle lithium-ion batteries. Her work now includes analyzing the raw materials needed for EVs and their impacts.

“The quantity of material that’s going to be needed for 50% of the market to be electric by 2030 is going to be really difficult to supply unless we go with alternative materials and smaller batteries such as those in plug-in hybrids,” she said.

The primary materials in demand include cobalt, nickel, and lithium. While the United States has some lithium reserves, many raw materials are imported and recycled outside of the country.

“Often, the recovered material is sent back to the Far East to get processed so we end up importing it in the first September-October 2023 // 43

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place and then importing it again,” she explained, adding that this isn’t ideal for national security, energy use or environmental impacts.

Although she said recycling will be important, Gaines noted that only a small percentage of raw materials could possibly come from recycling until the demand flattens out. “[However,] I don’t think we should be giving up on the goal of electrification,” she said. “I think that it’s important for climate change.”

Argonne is researching transportation technologies that will help with climate change, such as biofuels, including a sustainable aviation fuel.

The Future Role of Auto Recyclers As the country transitions to EVs, Robertson believes recyclers will be a critical part of the battery industry.

“We have the facilities to dismantle and harvest EOL vehicles and, most importantly, the license to do it,” he said.

With the average EV battery lasting up to 10 to 15 years, Robertson said they can be broken down and repurposed in many configurations; most commonly, they are utilized within energy storage systems for an additional 10 years.

Robertson believes EOL batteries will likely be sold for reuse when possible and auto recyclers will get involved in what is referred to as “cracking” the batteries. “We’re going to open the battery pack and determine which modules are reusable to be sold,” he explained.

About half of the estimated 20,000 entities currently handling EOL vehicles are unlicensed. As a result, many propose certifying auto recyclers to ensure they are properly trained.

“Any vehicle that has a high-voltage battery has to be handled in a different manner than an ICE car and employees need to be trained,” said Robertson.

44 // September-October 2023

There are also proponents of government regulation focused on who will be able to purchase EOL EVs and mandates around “leakage” where batteries leave the country.

“Once they leave the country, they never come back,” he said. “The first thing we need to do is stop the leakage and keep these cars within the United States.”

Robertson said auto recyclers will likely have three options. The first is to stay the course and conduct business as usual. “Most in our industry will take this approach,” he predicted.

The second choice, which he said most recyclers will opt for, is to adapt when needed. “This is the safest course to take when encountering the impending EV wave,” he said. “Our facilities and business models run really well on the product we presently dismantle.”

Robertson said that early adapters will likely reap profits, while others might resist until the very end, leaving opportunities available.

The third business model, according to Robertson, is to ride the EV wave. “This is by far the riskiest path to take and I urge you to have all your bases covered before jumping in,” Robertson warned. “Implementing a slight change to your business model is hard with employee and customer resistance.”

Although he said this is most difficult choice, it could be the most profitable.

“There’s so much money being thrown at people from the U.S. government either in the way of loans or grants,” he said.

Within the Inflation Reduction Act, Robertson said there are billions of dollars allocated to sustainable “clean” energy industries. “The high-voltage battery industry is getting a great majority of it,” he noted.

In August, the DOE announced a $15.5 billion package of funding and loans primarily focused on transitioning to EVs, retooling existing plants and rehiring existing workers.

Earlier this year, Nusbaum was invited by NAATBatt International to give a presentation during their sixth annual battery recycling workshop about the transition to electrification.

“What we need to do is replicate the successes of the existing automotive industry as we transition to EVs,” said Nusbaum.

He said the key is to reliably assess the condition of a battery pack throughout its lifecycle. “It requires users throughout the vehicle value chain to have a clear understanding of the quality, performance, and remaining service life of an EV.” This involves having a successful new car sales market, a used car sales market that allows vehicles to be financed, insured and repaired, and also a product that can be reused, repurposed and recycled at EOL. Automotive Recycling

Nusbaum said this will be necessary to reduce costs and allow for further adoption of these vehicles.

Some of the challenges to EV adoption he shared include reuse and repurposing, the race for critical minerals, diverse battery chemistries and compositions, strengthening domestic manufacturing and materials sourcing, and maximizing resources most cost-effectively to reduce carbon outputs. Other issues are battery service length and the valuation of EVs. Nusbaum said that batteries, which are the majority of an EV’s value, need to be put to their highest and best use at their end-of-first-life, whether that’s a reuse application going into an energy storage system as repurposing or being recycled for raw materials.

“We need to be able to assess their condition so they can be filtered through the free market,” explained Nusbaum. “This helps bring down costs to vehicle owners, maximizes the energy output in the original manufacturing of that part, and reduces the carbon footprint of the specific component throughout its life cycle.”

Based on his research, Nusbaum said that motor vehicles are one of the most recycled consumer goods and automotive recycling is one of the few carbon-negative industries in the automotive sector. Approximately 12

Automotive Recycling

million vehicles are recycled annually, and 86% of a vehicle is reused and recycled by weight.

Nusbaum said the premise of the automotive recycling business model is about reusing and maximizing existing resources with the added benefit of being environmentally sound.

In March, ARA announced its partnership with Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, to undertake a nationwide study to illustrate the industry’s environmental benefits and quantify the carbon footprint reduction that utilization of Recycled Original Equipment® (ROE) parts has in comparison to new automotive parts. The study, expected to conclude by year-end, builds upon the findings of research conducted in 2017 by WPI of professional automotive recyclers in Massachusetts.

“That study found that by reclaiming auto parts for re-use, then recycling the steel and aluminum left in vehicles at the end of their usable life, members of the Automotive Recyclers of Massachusetts (ARM) reduce the state’s carbon footprint by at least 2.2 million tons of carbon dioxide annually,” according to an ARA press release.

As EVs increase in scale over the next five to seven years, Hollingshead recommends auto recyclers pay close

September-October 2023 // 45

attention to three primary areas regarding EV batteries, namely same use, second life and recycling.

“Same use will have the greatest value to auto recyclers from a revenue standpoint provided we can certify the state of health and state of charge,” he explained. “Simply put, this means how much life is left in the battery.”

Hollingshead foresees the biggest usage for second life will be for energy storage and the largest use will be for grid stabilization.

“This will act as a reservoir to hold excess energy generated, and make it available for ‘peak demand times,’” he said.

In terms of recycling, he said batteries will be shredded for the recovery of scarce materials used to make new batteries. “This will have the least value to auto recyclers, and we may very well have to pay for it,” he said.

With this new technology, Hollingshead said vehicles will be “connected” and battery data will be monitored and recorded. “While this information will be huge for us to have and be able to access, we won’t be able to take it at face value,” he noted. “While it can be a guide, we will still need to triage and assess the battery to certify it.”

As part of Gaines’ research, she examines the recycling stage in the lifecycle process to determine environmental impacts and costs.

Although there are some smaller “mom-and-pop” recyclers, Gaines described automotive recyclers as a sophisticated industry. “They’re not junkyards,’ she said.

“They know what’s going on with the cars and keep very careful track of all the usable, reusable parts from an EOL vehicle.”

An emerging segment of the industry focuses on assembling used batteries and re-selling them.

This includes the opportunity to reuse batteries when vehicles are taken out of service.

“Even though the car crashed, the battery may still be perfectly good and usable,” she explained.

One issue recyclers will likely contend with are vehicles that are operable but only support so many miles a day due to battery range. “We’ll have to address whether or not we want to allow vehicles to be sold overseas or recycled in the U.S.,” she noted.

An emerging segment of the industry focuses on assembling used batteries and re-selling them.

“That obviously has to be done responsibly,” said Gaines. “If you want to reuse a battery from an EV in the U.S. and sell it legally, it has to be lab certified.”

Although many say that’s a positive development in the U.S., Gaines cautioned that it’s promoting an overseas market for the battery recycling industry.

46 // September-October 2023

Gaines is part of NAATBatt’s Second Life Use Committee, which examines the technical, economic, regulatory and legal challenges involved in repurposing high-capacity advanced batteries for second-life use.

The committee also studies regulatory requirements applicable to those second-life applications. NAATBatt International promotes the development and commercialization of electrochemical energy storage technology and the revitalization of advanced battery manufacturing in North America.

How Auto Recyclers Can Best Prepare Gaines stressed the importance of EVs being handled by responsible recyclers who have trained mechanics to remove the batteries, test them and ensure they are handled and stored safely. This includes new and second-life batteries.

“There is the potential for both electrocution and fires with new and used EV batteries, so this is something that they need to take care of very carefully,” she said. “Battery fires are no joke.”

She said used batteries are a valuable resource so they will likely be one of the aftermarket products that automotive recyclers end up dealing with – with the caveat that recyclers are certified and know how to handle them.

Most agree that safety is paramount.

The most important priority right now for recyclers, according to Nusbaum, is to learn about high-voltage vehicles.

“They need to be handled with extreme caution,” he said. “We don’t want to have an environment where automotive recycling employees, as well as anyone dealing with the vehicle, is going to put their lives at risk.”

Nusbaum said this is a priority issue for ARA members who are starting to see more vehicles that have highvoltage batteries.

“They need to be treated appropriately, responsibly and safely,” he said.

Hollingshead agrees.

Through his research, he said that one of the challenges with EVs is the potential of the lithium-ion batteries having what is known as a thermal event or thermal runaway. According to the Electrochemical Safety Research Institute, this is when they are in an uncontrollable, selfheating state and can result in the ejection of gas, shrapnel and/or particulates, extremely high temperatures, smoke and fire.

Once the battery goes into a thermal event, there is a chemical reaction, Hollingshead explained, because anything that stores energy is always going to be inherently unstable.

“Our role as auto recyclers is going to be how to responsibly handle these vehicles at end the life,” he said.

“We have an obligation to keep people safe and do the right thing.”

Automotive Recycling

As the industry changes, Hollingshead encourages recyclers to be open to change.

“The thing about auto recyclers is that we’ve always been innovators,” said Hollingshead. “We have to figure out ways to handle these vehicles and dismantle them in a safe, efficient and environmentally compliant manner, and how to make money off them.”

What the market will be for EVs remains to be seen; however, Hollingshead predicts there will be markets for parts on these vehicles that people haven’t thought of yet.

Comparing battery powered hand tools on the market today versus five years ago, Hollingshead said the batteries and the motors are much more efficient, powerful and durable.

He forecasts there will be demand for electric drive motors for their second-life use and industrial applications for conveyors, lifting equipment, compressors and pumps. “These motors are extremely efficient and more powerful than ones made just five years ago,” he said.

Blalock said the professional automotive recycling industry is filled with innovative and intelligent people.

“Just like we have for over 100 years, we will continue to adapt to the changing designs in vehicles and be ready to handle EVs as they become more prevalent,” she said.

Automotive Recycling

“This will require a higher-level educated and welltrained workforce, and ARA has been engaged to ensure that the necessary training and resources are available to assist our industry members.”

She said auto recyclers will also have to make infrastructure and process changes within their facilities to accommodate and safely process EVs and the storage of their components, including high-voltage batteries.

ARA does not recommend storing batteries in a business’s main building but as far away as possible in case of a thermal event. Many recyclers have been utilizing Conex (Container Express) storage boxes, but Blalock said they must be equipped to prevent overheating, be able to handle colder temperatures and protect the batteries.

“Make sure to do your research on the necessary safety tools and personal protective equipment (PPE) that you will need on hand to protect your employees,” Blalock recommends. “Also, ensure everyone in your facility has some training so they fully understand the potential hazards affiliated with high-voltage vehicles.”

To stay up to date with industry issues, Blalock recommends attending state trade shows, as well as ARA’s Annual Convention and Expo.

September-October 2023 // 47

To best prepare for the anticipated changes, Blalock advises automotive recyclers to start now. “Do not wait!” she said. “ARA University has the training and resources available to assure you understand how to safely process high-voltage vehicles, including the handling and shipping of the batteries.”

Ultimately, Robertson said that auto recyclers will be faced with a choice. “You can stay in business for another 40 years dismantling internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles that will still be on the road or embrace EVs,” he said.

For auto recyclers who choose to continue focusing on dismantling internal combustion engines, he predicts there will be opportunities for success.

He also forecasted that it will be profitable dismantling ICE vehicles because people are going to move away from manufacturing replacement parts for those cars and move towards building replacement parts for EVs. “You need to choose that path that is best for yourself, your family, your employees and your facility,” he said.

“No matter how you ride the wave, the future of our industry is bright.”

Training to Get Ahead A critical component of preparing for the future, according to Hollingshead, is learning about EVs and their batteries.

“I cannot overstress the importance of the training and certification,” he said. “When I was 17 years old, a wise guy told me, ‘You either get educated or you get left behind.’”

Looking ahead, Hollingshead said the days are numbered for what he referred to as “caveman operations.”

“They are not going to be able to compete,” said Hollingshead. “However, there will be opportunities for those who have invested the time, work and money into their businesses and their people and processes to do things properly.”

He said the automotive industry can be as primitive or sophisticated as an owner wants to make it but opportunities are available to evolve.

As part of ARA University, education is available to all members on how to safely handle EVs, assess their health, store the batteries and ensure vehicles are safe.

This includes training guides, an EV readiness checklist and database, and a certification program recognized by multiple government agencies.

“The staff at ARA have done a great job as far as developing the training and curriculum that we need for EVs,” said Hollingshead, who is the immediate past president of ARA and has been involved with the organization since 2016.

Nusbaum encourages ARA members to capitalize on the available training. “ARA has a myriad of resources 48 // September-October 2023

As part of ARA University, education is available to all members on how to safely handle EVs, assess their health, store the batteries and ensure vehicles are safe. that we’ve been working on for the last decade to prepare for this reality,” he shared.

In addition to ARA training, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) is educating the collision industry about the safety protocols, processes, vehicle assessments and handling of EVs through educational programming. This includes both online and hands-on training specific to EVs. Resources are also available to help identify how to safely interact with an EV through Best Practices documents, Repairers Realm live web series, Just in Time videos, and the I-CAR Repairability Technical Support (RTS) portal.

“Our objective as a neutral, not-for-profit founded by the collision industry is to prepare technicians and shop owners for what will impact them, whether it’s government mandates, like zero-emissions standards, OEM adoption of vehicle makes and models to meet the needs of their consumers, and/or emerging technologies,” said Jeff Poole, lead subject matter expert at I-CAR. For any industry interacting with these vehicles, Poole said that it’s critical to fully understand and continue to be at the forefront with training that guides professionals on how to repair or process electric vehicles safely. Poole advises recyclers to continue learning as often and as much as possible to ensure everyone is kept safe.

“With a culture of learning as your foundation, share your experiences and knowledge with others in the industry to maximize the state of readiness in accordance with OEM repair procedures so we’re able to adapt to the evolution of the electric vehicle technology collectively and safely,” Poole added.

More details about how the industry can prepare for EVs can be found at I-CAR.com/EV. For ARA news, resources and educational materials, visit https://arauniversity.org/.

Stacey Phillips is a freelance writer and owner of Radiant Writing & Communications, where she specializes in providing content and digital marketing for the collision repair industry. She also serves as the marketing director for CIECA since 2017.

Automotive Recycling

Advertiser’s Index Company.........................................................................................................Website..........................................................................Ad Pg. No. Amwins Program Underwriters............................................ amwins.com/apu...................................................... 23 ARA Mentors the Industry..................................................... a-r-a.org.................................................................... 41 ATSG.......................................................................................atsg.com................................................................... 21 Buddy Automotive Innovations.........................................buddyai.com..........................................................IBC Carolina Wheel Cover.........................................................ineedahubcap.com................................................45 Car-Part.com.........................................................................car-part.com...........................................................BC CCC Intelligent Solutions, Inc............................................cccis.com/recyclers...............................................39 Copart.....................................................................................copart.com/autorecyclers....................................... 5 CRUSH/S3 Software Solutions, LLC..................................s3softwaresolutions.com...................................... 13 Dorman Products, Inc..........................................................dormanproducts.com............................................ IFC ETE REMAN............................................................................. etereman.com........................................................... 35 Gensco...................................................................................... genscoequip.com/auto-recycling-equipment...... 27 Induction Innovations.........................................................theinductor.com..................................................... 14 Lithion Technologies...........................................................lithiontechnologies.com....................................... 15 MarkingPenDepot.com........................................................markingpendepot.com.......................................... 19 Midwest Gas.........................................................................midwestgas.us........................................................45 New Pig..................................................................................newpig.com/autorecyclers................................... 29 PGM of Texas........................................................................pgmoftexas.com....................................................... 7 PMR........................................................................................pmrcc.com............................................................... 17 Supershear............................................................................supershears.com...................................................... 9 United Catalyst Corporation...............................................unitedcatalystcorporation.com............................ 11 United Recyclers Group.......................................................u-r-g.com................................................................. 31 Vander Haag’s, Inc...............................................................vanderhaags.com...................................................49 We Buy Key Fobs.....................................................................webuykeyfobs.com.................................................. 47 Wolfpack Enterprises...............................................................wolfpack-enterprises.business.site....................... 19

FIND SUPPLIERS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

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On your phone, your tablet or computer, you now have 24/7 access to our list of quality automotive recycling suppliers of products and services to help you run your business better.

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autorecyclingnow.com Automotive Recycling Now is the digital website for ARA’s leading Industry publication, Automotive Recycling magazine. It is the total resource for timely, searchable industry news and helpful articles that an auto recycler needs to know!

Automotive Recycling

Call (239) 223-9408 or email jay@drivenbydesign.net

NEED INFORMATION? You’ll find: ✔ Trending Articles ✔ Education and Training ✔ EVs, Safety and OSHA Updates ✔ Certification & Best Practices ✔ Workforce Management ✔ Industry Commentary from the Experts ✔ …And More Find it all at AUTORECYCLINGNOW.COM. CELEBRATING 80 YEARS! Check it out today!

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® – Recycled Original Equipment ®

Calendar

Send Your Event Info to staff@a-r-a.org!

Visit www.a-r-a.org to save the date for the industry’s hottest must-go-to events!

September-October 2023 // 49

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Send your photo(s) as high resolution JPG format, along with a description or identification of the people/things included to ARAEditor@comcast.net.

ARA – Protecting the Industry for 80 Years!

T

he Automotive Recyclers Association is celebrating 80 years of protecting the industry, and it culminates at the Annual Dinner at the 80th Annual Convention & Expo in Kansas City in October. In light of this industry milestone, we asked for legacy recyclers in business 25 years or longer to share their story with the ARA to celebrate their part in our unique history.

The 1st ARA National Convention Banquet on January 11, 1944 in Cleveland, Ohio.

If you have a 25+ legacy story to share, there is still time to participate. We will highlight you in a future issue. Please send no more than 100 words – such as when the business started, original owners’ names, current owners, short description of the business and its history – along with high resolution images to ARA@a-r-a.org.

50 // September-October 2023

Automotive Recycling

® – Recycled Original Equipment ®

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