Woodland Grange in Leamington Spa was the venue for the annual British Vehicle Salvage Federation (BVSF) conference, where its committee, new and old members and many guests came together to listen to a wealth of speakers, network and enjoy an evening dinner filled with entertainment and laughter. 

Its Secretary General, Roger West, opened the AGM by greeting everyone in attendance, reporting on the federation's health, and welcoming its new members. He also said of the hard work being done by the BVSF for the industry and how they have liaised with related industries and authorities. He added how the federation continues to work with the EA, highlighting illegal operators and how there had been some positive outcomes, especially concerning how those on Facebook were selling vehicle parts illegally. 

Percy Snow, Honorary Chairman, echoed this and offered his grateful thanks for the support of the Federation by both Members and Strategic partners. Finally, thanking and indeed paying tribute to the work carried out by both Roger and Heather West relating to the organisation of the event.

The mantel was then handed back to Roger to detail the work completed and, indeed, that in progress over the last year. 

Roger then went on to confirm that due to a health issue, this was to be his last AGM and that he would be retiring at the beginning of the Christmas break this year. He advised that a new secretary general was under discussion, but as yet, no decision had been made.

 After the formalities that go with any AGM ended, attention turned to the speakers. Andrew Marsh from AIC Ltd. spoke about the chaos amongst the OEMs as they adjusted to the future of vehicle manufacturing and how the   potential lifespan of vehicles is becoming shorter, providing opportunities for recyclers. 

 Following Andrew was Dave Clinton from Cornerstone Autoglass. He highlighted the various benefits of reusing auto glass and the solutions and training provided by his company that could provide   opportunities to those involved in the reused parts market. A member present, ASM Autos, confirmed and supported the suggested re-use confirming that they were currently heavily involved with this re-   use following training by Cornerstone, and it was proving profitable.

 The final speaker before lunch was Ken Byng, Senior Manager of Car Take Back. His presentation revolved around the inevitable increase of electric ELVs and the importance of incorporating essential   safety processes. In his presentation, he highlighted the challenges of dismantling EVs as the information provided by manufacturers is not uniform, with some being better than others. He also highlighted   the  varying policies these companies had regarding collection processes. However, Ken encouraged everyone in the room to embrace the opportunity that EVs could bring to the industry and that safety   and the correct procedures are paramount. 

 After lunch, with the opportunity for the delegates to network and visit the various displays both around the room and in the adjacent parking area, there were a number of recovery/transport vehicles on display.

The afternoon schedule began with a presentation from Isla Gill, Projects Manager from Transporter Engineering. She drew everyone's focus to the challenges and solutions facing the transportation of vehicles and also how her company was pioneering their eco credentials when manufacturing their vehicles. 

 Next up was Thatcham Research, represented by Dean Lander and Adrian Watson. They provided a BEV update from the insurer's perspective. In their presentation, they   highlighted the issues around the difficult choices that need to be made when assessing a damaged EV and how more research needs to be done when assessing a vehicle.   Although physical damage on a car could be seen as slight, the actual damage to the battery cannot be determined, so its categorisation has to be evaluated accordingly. With factors including challenges to   repairing vehicles, limited diagnostics, lack of research and resources and repair costs, currently, it is easier to certify a damaged BEV as a total loss than repair it.

 The second part of their presentation turned to the value and importance of training. Still, it highlighted how Thatcham provided various modules for specific users as they come into contact with BEVs.

 The final person invited to the floor was Peter Buckley, Senior advisor for Fire Prevention and ELVs. He spoke about appropriate measures regarding EA legislation and guidance structures and how application to new and existing sites was being implemented. He talked about the importance of consultation periods and urged everyone to get involved when this happened. He also explained how some exemptions, with particular reference to T9 (recovering scrap metal) and U16 (using depolluted end-of-life vehicles for parts), were to be removed and their implications for the industry. 

With the conference concluded, attention was directed to the evening with dinner and entertainment for the guests. As well as the sold-out raffle and auction with prizes donated by committee members and strategic partners of the BVSF, it was left to Percy Snow to Introduce David Newbery to award the annual Combellack Award for dedication and service to the British Salvage Industry. It was no surprise and rightfully awarded to their own Secretary General, Roger West, who was attending his last AGM in his official capacity after 13 years in the role. Genuinely surprised by this, his heartfelt speech was met with rapturous and appreciated applause by everyone in attendance. 

When asked about the event, Roger commented:

"I was very pleased that the event had seemingly gone without a hitch, which of course, is what it is all about. I was genuinely stunned to receive the Combellack Award and will treasure it to the end of my days. I cannot believe that when running last year's event, fit and well and saying that I would go on for a few years yet, this year, I would reluctantly be saying the exact opposite and all because of ill health. I cannot close without a huge thank you to the Management Committee for their gift to Heather and I, which again was totally unexpected. I have tried my best to alleviate issues for the Federation members and strategic partners over the last 13 years, and I hope that whoever takes over the reins will realise the importance of this action.” 

Credit to ATF Pro

31 March 2023   

Silverlake boosts community and online safety in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight with £5000 donation

Silverlake Automotive Recycling, a leading vehicle recycling company based in Shedfield, has renewed its sponsorship of the Bobby Scheme for the fifth year in a row.  2023’s £5,000 donation sees its combined financial support for the service hit £25,000 this year.  The Bobby Scheme, a free service, operated by the Blue Lamp Trust, sends a trained fitter to visit the homes of the elderly and vulnerable, across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, to offer safety and security advice and install safety and security equipment. 25% of these visits are to victims of domestic abuse. In 2022, the Bobby Scheme extended its service to include free cyber-security advice. 

The Blue Lamp Trust’s CEO, Theresa Pratt, said: “We are very grateful for the generous support that Silverlake continues to give us.  This and other fundraising have seen us able to develop the Bobby Scheme even further and introduce Cyber Bobby; offering offer free cyber security advice to the elderly and vulnerable in the community.  The pandemic was a catalyst for many aspects of every-day life moving online and the threat of cyber-crime is increasingly prevalent. With their valuable sponsorship, Silverlake is making a real and direct contribution to making Hampshire and the Isle of Wight a safer place.”

Allen Prebble, Silverlake’s managing director, said: “We are a family owned and managed business and have been based in Hampshire for the last 77 years.  We believe in giving back to the community that has supported us over the years.  Silverlake has grown to become the largest employer in our market in the region and our people, their families and many long-standing local customers and business partners are all part of the regional community.  We are delighted to be continuing our support of the Bobby Scheme and commend their extension of the service to include cyber security advice. Their commitment to protecting the elderly and vulnerable in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is powerful and we are proud to help.” 

Supported by the emergency services and local authorities, The Bobby Scheme provides a free service to elderly and vulnerable people, particularly victims of burglary and domestic violence, by promoting crime prevention and fire safety initiatives.  Started over 26 years ago, the Bobby Scheme’s trained fitters, who are all vetted by Hampshire police, uniformed and carry ID cards, have visited more than 35,000 homes.  Free cyber security advice from Cyber Bobby, is provided through home visits by police checked and trained cyber volunteers and includes guidance on basic IT security and how to avoid being affected by a cyber-crime or a cyber enabled crime.

Anyone who believes they fit the criteria for support from the Bobby Scheme can contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 0300 777 0157

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The e2e Reclaimed Parts Research Report, published today, explores insurer and bodyshop attitudes to, and usage of, reclaimed parts; to include processes and challenges that influence decision making.  Overarching findings show that insurers are committed to and actively adopting reclaimed parts as part of their sustainable motor claims strategies.  Bodyshops, aside from the fast movers in the market, continue to require assurance related to parts availability and accessibility, together with quality and ease of use and work provider approval.  The research*, conducted in partnership with ABP Club, surveyed insurers and bodyshops with questions tailored to their operating environments.  The full report is available on the e2e website.  

The research findings reveal the huge potential for increased use of reclaimed parts, with the bodyshops reporting they could be used in nearly every job, but in reality, the majority of bodyshops (66%) are currently only using them on less than 10% of their jobs.  Meanwhile, 100% of insurers are already promoting their use now or intend to within 12 months.  The decision on whether to use reclaimed parts is primarily made solely by the repairer (39%) or jointly with the insurer and policyholder (20%).  Only in 22% of jobs is the decision made solely by the insurer.  The biggest influence as to where the bodyshops source the reclaimed parts is availability (60%), followed by ease of sourcing (39%), followed by cost and work provider instruction (both 32%).  The bodyshops still find it easier to source new parts than reclaimed parts, however 74% say they would welcome a seamless platform for the sourcing, costing and ordering of reclaimed parts.

Jim Loughran, CEO at e2e commented: “The reclaimed parts market is evolving rapidly and many of the historic issues faced are reducing.  This research provides the opportunity to understand those challenges remaining and informs our thinking on how best to resolve them; in order to deliver maximum efficiencies and mutual benefits to insurers and bodyshops.  Bodyshops’ needs require addressing for the market to mature effectively and ease of sourcing, availability and quality are key to that requirement.  We are designing a next generation reclaimed parts solution, capable of integrating with and responding to parts requests raised through existing systems in use in the market.  We will provide access to the inventories of quality graded, warranty assured, provenance tested, OEM reclaimed parts held by our network members throughout the UK.  This is the largest, sustainable inventory of reclaimed parts stock standing at 500,000+ and comes with the assurance afforded by vehicle recyclers certified to the UK Standard for Reclaimed parts.  As a network, with UK wide scale and reach, we are uniquely able to satisfy market needs, providing the quality of parts required at the time they are needed.”

David Cresswell, Chairman at the ABP Club said: “We understand how important reclaimed parts have become in the accident repair industry, what started as an environmental issue has grown to become a solution for the ongoing parts shortages affecting our bodyshop members. The national solution that e2e offers customers gives bodyshops across the UK access to a huge range of assured parts. ABP are delighted to have worked with e2e on this report, and we hope everyone finds the results both interesting and useful.”

Copart’s HR Director and Learning & Development Manager recently attended a collaborative networking event with the Chamber of Commerce to discuss skills and training challenges, and explore potential solutions, alongside other local businesses.

We joined important debates and discussions around skills gaps, behaviours, health and wellbeing, and employee retention, and highlighted the success we have achieved with our Driver Academy and Apprenticeship programmes.

Follow this link to read the blog.