Chairman's End of Year Message

We are close to the end of yet another very successful year for the BVSF despite what has again proven to be a very hard economic climate. However, membership numbers have remained static with a few losses for various reasons made up by a number of gains particularly following the very successful CARS event in July.

One of the highlights of the year in my opinion was the AGM and Seminar held at the Coombe Abbey Hotel in April. Arguably the best event held by the BVSF to date. This event not only dealt with the serious business of the day but also provided a very important social atmosphere soaked up by the large numbers of delegates who willingly gave up their time to attend. Some excellent speakers held their audience captive with their presentations and a number of delegates agreed that it was the opportunity to meet individuals from government departments that company directors from the BVSF membership should make every effort not to miss.

I would like to personally thank my colleagues on the Management Committee for giving up their time to attend meetings throughout the year to discuss and agree the many actions of the BVSF.

There have been a number of developments throughout the year and indeed are on-going and these have been reported in global mails, monthly newsletters and indeed the magazine in your hands now.

For example the on-going Salvage Code of Practice which, quite rightly, the BVSF have refused to support, due to the, now proven, danger to the public with regards to the sale of undeployed airbags from provenance UNKNOWN vehicles and indeed non viable imported products on internet auction sites.. The BVSF have campaigned tirelessly to be allowed to sell provenance known airbags to negate any risk to the public but the scribes of the new code are yet to see the error of their ways.

A dangerous product known as RCF was discovered in Catalytic Converters and this caused the EA to declare all “CATS” as extremely hazardous requiring companies who decan CATS to obtain further qualification. The BVSF sought a company for this training for the few members who have chosen to either start or continue de-canning.

The EA then decided to implement a Fire Prevention Plan guidance document that was written so poorly that it endangered the very fabric of the salvage/dismantling industry. The BVSF were quick to challenge the EA and have managed to convince the EA to change the wording considerably thus reducing the impact on our industry. I also happen to know that the BVSF are currently creating a template for BVSF members to provide the EA with a suitable FPP without the potential huge expense of involving an outside consultant.

I will close my end of year message by commending Roger for his unending hard work on behalf of the Membership, despite for him, a year of great sadness in his immediate family. It is, in my opinion a great shame that many members do not realise the amount of work that he does for the Membership. I would also like to mention Heather who deals admirably with the accounts in such hard financial times.

Finally I look forward to meeting many of you at the AGM/Seminar on April 6th next year, again at the Coombe Abbey and in the meantime wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous, Peaceful and Healthy New Year.

Percy Snow

Honorary Chairman.