Global leader in online vehicle remarketing and recycling, Copart UK, have announced their plans to operate from a new 30-acre site in Gloucester, significantly boosting their vehicle storage capacity in the Southwest of England.

This former Cazoo site in Gloucestershire will provide Copart with storage for an additional 30,000 vehicles per annum.  

This, coupled with Copart’s existing Operation Centres in Westbury and Bristol, adds to Copart’s strategic network of storage and vehicle management capabilities in the Southwest.

This news follows a series of recent land investment announcements from Copart, including new sites in St Helens, Corby, and East Kilbride, and expansions at their Operation Centres in Bristol, Rochford, Sandtoft, Sandy, Peterlee, Hixon and Wisbech – taking Copart’s locations to 27.

Jane Pocock, CEO of Copart UK & Ireland, said:

“With a growing, and increasingly diverse UK car parc, alongside the rise in extreme weather events, we know that remaining ahead of demand and having the ability to provide further storage capacity for our customers is vital. 

“We’re committed to continuously expanding our landbank and operational network across the UK, providing close proximity to communities and customers so that we can always be there when we are needed to collect, handle, and store vehicles quickly, efficiently, and with minimal environmental impact.”

 

 

Silverlake Automotive Recycling [Silverlake] has completed an Institute of Motor Industry [IMI] accredited EV dismantling course from ELEVATE - an NA International initiative.  The course sees colleagues recognised as accredited EV dismantling technicians by the IMI.  

Silverlake is processing growing numbers of electric vehicles every month.  2023 saw an increase of 172% in all high voltage vehicles compared to 2022; further identified by a 94% increase in fully electric vehicles and a 218% increase in hybrid vehicles.   

The company is proactive in equipping its people with the necessary skills and competencies to deliver the services needed by customers and operate safely.  The NA International EV dismantling course provides training from electrically qualified, manufacturer trained and IMI certified staff with over 35 years of experience. Participants learn how to make high voltage vehicles safe and how to remove high voltage components and batteries after the vehicle has been made safe, and are issued with an IMI Certificate on completion. 

Tom Harvey, Organisation Development Manager at Silverlake commented: “As of the end of February 2024, there are now over 1,000,000 fully electric cars on UK roads and a further 620,000 plug-in hybrids.*  The automotive industry is evolving and we are investing in our people and our facilities to serve our customers, future-proof our business and embrace the opportunities presented.  This is the second EV training course we have undertaken with NA International and we are impressed by the quality of their trainers and the valuable mix of theory and practical training.”  

Ken Byng, Director at NA International Group said: “I was delighted to roll out this inaugural ELEVATE IMI accredited End of Life Electric & Hybrid Electric Vehicle Dismantling training course to two of the key staff at Silverlake involved in their industry leading End of Life EV operation. As the first IMI accredited course of its kind in the UK - designed specifically to equip any ATF with the knowledge and competence needed to safely handle these vehicles and batteries at their end of life - the programme has been created to satisfy the forthcoming IMI National Occupational Standards and culminates in successful candidates receiving formal IMI Certification. ELEVATE (End of Life Electric Vehicle Advice, Training & Expertise) will play a crucial part in professionalising the ELV industry via IMI certified targeted learning outcomes whilst eliminating the need for complex formal examinations, and it is reassuring to see the seriousness with which Silverlake take their responsibilities in both educating their staff, and keeping them safe in this area.”

 

 

 

Global leader in online vehicle remarketing and recycling, Copart UK, have announced that expansion works are planned at their Operation Centre in Peterlee, County Durham.  

The planned expansion, which will make Peterlee a 30-acre site once completed, supports the company’s continued growth in the Northeast of England and provides further capacity for their ‘First Response’ Contact Centre which is located at this site.  

The expansion more than doubles vehicle capacity for Copart’s customers operating in this area, providing secure storage, and enlarged areas for vehicles that may require specialist handling like EVs, HEVs, and flood and fire damaged vehicles.

 

Brand-new vehicle preparation and valeting areas using state-of-the-art technology to inspect and image vehicles are also being planned as part of the expansion works.

 

Copart has also said that dedicated bio-diversity spaces will be ringfenced as part of the expansion works to improve air quality and encourage nature.

 

This announcement follows recent updates from the company regarding expansions at their existing Operation Centres in Bristol, Rochford, Sandtoft, Westbury and Wisbech, and the addition of three new sites in Corby, East Kilbride, and St Helens.

Subject to all relevant planning permissions, Copart anticipates expansion works at Peterlee to be completed in 2024.

Jane Pocock, CEO of Copart UK & Ireland, said:

“This expansion at Peterlee will enable us to handle around 38,000 vehicles per annum, supporting Copart’s continued growth and industry leading services in the Northeast alongside our Operation Centres in Sandtoft and York.

“The additional storage capacity will enable us to offer unique contingency land to our customers following extreme weather events and support further the national growth of our onsite Contact Centre which provides vital first response and policy holder management services.”

 

 

 

 

 

India calls for stricter export regime for waste tyres

– call is welcomed by TRA

Indian tyre trade body reveals the extent of repurposing end-of-life whole tyres exported from UK

TRA again call on UK government to do the right thing to end polluting export of baled end-of-life tyres

European nations are leading contributors to the pollution, environmental damage and safety concerns caused by large scale export of end-of-life tyres (ELTs), according to the Indian tyre trade body the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA). Figures show there was a surge of waste tyre imports from developed countries to India last year, leaving the nation facing significant environmental challenges. The Chairman of India’s Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA), Anshuman Singhania, raised concerns over the staggering statistic that India imported around 800,000 tonnes of scrapped tyres between April and November 2023. The UK was identified as one of the leading exporters of ELTs to India.

UK figures reveal some 300,000 tonnes of end-of-life tyre are exported from the UK per annum, yet the UK has at least 150,000 tonnes of licenced idle domestic recycling capacity of its own. It is claimed that 10-15% of India’s imported ELTs are sold as replacement tyres, with the rest go to outdated highly polluting batch-pyrolysis.

In a December 2023 report issued by India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) proposed a colour system of categorisation in order to advance compliance and promote the upgrade to new technology. The pyrolysis sector was categorised as orange, one down from the most polluting red. The colour categorisation system is seen as a significant step towards improving the licenced plants and clamping down on the most toxic pyrolysis practices, illegal small scale backstreet pyrolysis plants where many of the UK’s ELTs are believed to end up.

The TRA (Tyre Recovery Association) has welcomed the move from the ATMA to join forces with the CPCB and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to recognise the gravity of the situation and join force to implement these new regulations and tackle the significant environmental concerns from the disposal of whole end-of-life tyres which are exported in bales.

Peter Taylor OBE, Secretary General of the TRA, said:

“This confirms our long-held suspicions and what many operators have been saying for a long time. While we are grateful to India’s Automobile Tyre Manufactures Association, people should be shocked at how their findings lay bare the inadequacy of UK government’s response to TRA demands for tighter export controls.

“Now the Chair of the ATMA, Mr Anshuman Singhania, is also calling for tyres to be size reduced prior to import to India (in UK terms shredded) to prevent their abuse by an onward market, perhaps the UK government can finally act to update the out of date and failing UK regulatory framework.

“The British government should also listen to Prashanth Doreswamy, President and CEO, Continental Tyres India, who has called for new regulations to be enacted in India to curtail the imports of waste tyres and allow only shred. There is no reason for the UK authorities to continue to dither, they should ensure we only export shredded tyres, grow our own circular environmentally responsible market and follow the very successful Australian example.

“ATMA has exposed the low standards of environmental practices which appear in some parts of their domestic industry. The evidence from them is clear, too many operators in the Indian onward market are not meeting the recognised environmental standards or their equivalence. It is time the UK government woke up and acknowledged that far from tackling this environmental assault they are enabling UK operators to facilitate environmental harm.”

“It is time UK government does the right thing and help India stop these environmental abuses, as India’s manufacturers demand of us.”

 

Silverlake Automotive Recycling [Silverlake] has partnered with charity UK Sunflower Aid to send recycled vehicle first aid kits to Ukraine to help refugees affected by the war. The company is also supplying fuel for the charity’s vans before they set out on the long journey to the Ukraine border.

Silverlake recognised that the first aid kits in the 30,000+ salvage vehicles it processes p.a., at its automotive recycling site in Shedfield, could provide some valuable supplies to the aid effort.  Since May 2023, it has collected and shipped over 1,500 first aid kits from its Shedfield site and has fuelled over 10 UK Sunflower Aid vans over multiple trips.   

Paul Fullick of UK Sunflower Aid said: “We formed UK Sunflower Aid and started taking aid to Ukraine a week after Russia invaded Kiev; it seemed like the right thing to do. More than two years later we have moved almost 600 tons of humanitarian aid and medical supplies directly to the people and hospitals in Ukraine. The support we get from organisations like Silverlake is essential and helps us to deliver this life saving aid. Thank you to everyone at Silverlake who help keep the wheels moving, the people of Ukraine are extremely grateful.” 

Allen Prebble, MD at Silverlake said: “We know Paul from our sponsorship of the Silverlake C1 Racing Series. He is a racing driver with Team BRIT, a disability motorsport team that races in the Series.  When I heard what he was doing to support the people of Ukraine I knew Silverlake had to get involved.  Recycling vehicle first aid kits was a meaningful and valuable way we could help, as well as supplying tanks of fuel for the aid vans setting out for the Ukraine border.  UK Sunflower Aid has achieved so much and we are proud to be helping them to make a difference to those caught in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.”