Automotive Recycling Toolbox Edition, Issue 5 • 2023 by AutomotiveRecyclersAssociation

ISSUE 5 2023

Copper is Critical + PLUS:

Parts Storage, Shelf Life & Profits

NMVTIS Reporting

Celebrating ARA’s Impact

Mailed FREE to the top contact person at automotive recycling companies in the USA & Canada

EV and Battery Committee

October/November 2023

CONTENTS 4

Copper Is Critical By Ken McEntee

Organize Your COA to CYA By Paul D’Adamo

10 United Ecosystem Converter Exposé: Nissan Infinity By Becky Berube 14 The Power of Questions By Carlos Barboza Furzan 16 Time and Space and Money By Jake Nawrocki

INBOUND VIDEO PROS.

18 Celebrating ARA’s Impact Now and In the Future By Shan Lathem

18 22

20 NMVTIS Reporting By Sue Schauls 21 Featured CIECA Committee: EV and Battery Committee By Stacey Phillips 22 30% of the World’s Precious Metals Come from Recycling! By Edmund Schwenk 24 Powerful Things That Never Change In Advertising By Mike French 28 Regional Section

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Induction Innovations......................................................................... 23 Midwest Gas.......................................................................................... 17 Northlake Auto Parts............................................................................ 15 Noble 6................................................................................................... 23 PMR Catalytic Converter Recycling................................................... 27 Team PRP...............................................................................................BC Road Ready Wheels............................................................................ IBC Sellick...................................................................................................... 12 Supershear................................................................................................6 United Catalyst Corporation.............................................................. 11

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AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

BY KEN McENTEE

Copper is Critical The U.S. Energy Department’s recent designation of copper as a critical mineral may help to boost opportunities for recyclers.

vehicle] tax credit, inclusion on the permitting dashboard and the many permit reform legislative initiatives circulating Congress are all dependent on being on this larger list,” said Andrew G. Kireta Jr., CDA president and CEO. “The U.S. should do all it can to protect and promote our domestic copper industry. This decision from the DOE only serves to strengthen that effort.” Kireta said copper is a major contributor to U.S. economic and national security, with U.S. copper demand projected to double by 2035 primarily due to plans for the clean energy transition, electrification and clean water infrastructure. “The nation would be defenseless without electricity and copper’s vital role in its generation, transmission and distribution,” he said. “The U.S. should do all it can to protect and promote our domestic copper industry.”

THE U.S. SHOULD DO ALL IT CAN TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE OUR DOMESTIC COPPER INDUSTRY. Critical material vs. critical mineral

The federal Energy Act of 2020 defines a critical material as any nonfuel mineral, element, substance or material that the secretary of energy determines: as a high risk of supply chain dish ruption; and s erves an essential function in one or more energy technologies, including technologies that produce, transmit, store and conserve energy.

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he U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in July added copper to its Critical Materials List. The action marks the first time a U.S. government agency has included copper on one of its official “critical” lists, following the example of the European Union and countries like Japan, India, Canada and China, said the Copper Development Association (CDA) of McLean, Virginia. However, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, has yet to designate copper as a critical mineral. “While CDA is pleased with [the DOE] development, we will continue to advocate for the inclusion of copper on the official USGS Critical Minerals list, especially since items such as the EV [electric

TOOLBOX EDITION

make the USGS list when utilizing current supply risk data. With demand for copper expected to increase because of the Biden-Harris administration’s plans for clean energy, electrification and clean water, our nation needs policies to help expand and strengthen the domestic supply of copper, both from primary sources and from our significant supply of domestically generated and processed secondary copper scrap.”

Benefit to recyclers

The definition also includes critical minerals, as defined by the secretary of the interior. The Energy Act of 2020 defines a critical mineral as any mineral, element, substance or material designated as critical by the secretary of the interior, acting through the director of the USGS. The Critical Mineral List is intended by statute to be updated every three years at a minimum, but the secretary of the interior can update it at any time, CDA said. “The DOE list proves the point that CDA made in comments to USGS – when you evaluate copper using all the criteria included for mineral criticality in the Energy Act of 2020, and not just past supply risk, copper should be recognized as critical,” Kireta said. “Although, as we’ve already proven even without forecasting or considering the importance to energy or defense, copper should still

Kireta said copper’s inclusion on DOE’s list may benefit recyclers. “[DOE’s] critical materials strategy includes pillars for circular economy and enabling activities that will likely create new opportunities for copper recyclers,” he said. “This may include strategic initiatives or funding that improves national recycling and materials recovery infrastructure, identifies new or unconventional sources of secondary copper, influences product designs to maximize end-of-life copper recovery – [such as] design for recycling – or explores industry’s technological [and research and development] needs.” However, he said, new copper extraction is necessary to meet future demand for the metal. According to USGS, copper recovered from scrap contributed to about 32% of the U.S. copper supply in 2022. Of that supply, about 176,370 tons came from end-of-life postconsumer scrap and about 738,548 tons came from preconsumer scrap generated from manufacturing operations. “Taking advantage of copper’s ready recyclability, the industry is increasing its recycling capacity here in the U.S.,” Kireta said. “Several new secondary production operations are coming online, which will allow the U.S. to recycle and refine more copper domestically, including complex scrap grades that were traditionally exported. While this new U.S. recycling capacity will help bolster current supply levels, increased recycling alone will not be sufficient to meet demand.” Kireta said a multipronged approach is necessary to increase the copper supply, including increased primary production.

“While efforts are underway to maximize the amount of copper we can reintroduce to the U.S. supply chain through recycling, the scale of the demand required for the clean energy transition makes new copper extraction and processing an unavoidable reality,” he said. “Meeting this demand, without jeopardizing U.S. economic and national security by increasing reliance on foreign copper sources requires permitting reform for both mining and smelting. For the United States to realize the full benefits of the clean energy transition, a sustainable, substantial and secure supply of copper is vital.” Kireta said inclusion on the DOE Critical Materials List reflects the reality that copper demand projections will require an increase in domestic production. “In fact, the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service, in partnership with DOE, announced up to $4 billion in a first round of tax credits, under the 48C Advanced Energy Project Credit, for projects that expand clean energy manufacturing and recycling; critical materials refining, processing and recycling; and for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions at industrial facilities,” he said. The program was established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and was expanded with a $10 billion investment under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Making the cut?

In February, CDA published a report that suggested copper meets the USGS benchmark criteria for automatic inclusion on the Critical Minerals List. The association said USGS data shows the share of copper consumption met by net imports has increased from 33% in 2018 to 44% in 2021 and 41% in 2022. In the first half of 2022, the net import reliance stood at 48%. While releasing the report, CDA said a broad cross section of political, policy and industry leaders had signed letters to Debra Anne Haaland, secretary of the interior, urging her to exercise the authority given by statute to add copper to the Critical Minerals List without waiting for the next update in three years.

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

BY KEN McENTEE

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Arizona) spearheaded a bipartisan letter from senators who represent some of the largest copper producing and fabricating states. “Designating copper as a critical mineral strengthens vulnerabilities against foreign adversaries like Russia and China, bolsters our economic and energy security and fuels Arizona jobs, which will keep America strong and ready,” Sinema said.

A major disconnect

“It’s a very curious and unfortunate situation where you have two important government agencies [DOE and the Interior Department]) that are looking at the same data and drawing different conclusions,” said John Gross, an industry consultant and publisher of Copper Journal, Huntington, New York. “The Department of the Interior seems to be more focused on environment and social and cultural issues at the expense of our

need for copper in this country. That’s the difficulty.” Although it’s unclear how significantly inclusion on the critical materials and minerals lists would impact the copper markets, it gives the federal government more leeway to establish priorities such as allowing more mining and keeping more copper scrap in the U.S., Gross said. “We have a very significant imbalance in the copper market,” he said. “The U.S. is the largest exporter of copper scrap and one of the largest importers of copper cathode, or refined copper. That’s a major disconnect. The U.S. has been dependent upon imports of copper for many years. We’re at a situation where, if we’re going to have a strong manufacturing sector, as [President Joe] Biden envisions, copper is a key to the success of that program.” Meanwhile, Gross noted, North American copper mining projects are experiencing roadblocks.

For example, Arizona mining projects proposed by Resolution Copper, a joint venture owned by Rio Tinto Group, London, and BHP Group Ltd., Melbourne, Australia, and the Rosemont Copper project owned by HUDBay Minerals, Toronto, remain stalled by environmental and legal issues. In Alaska, the “Pebble Project” proposed by Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, also is on hold while the company wades through permitting delays. In February, Rambler Metals and Mining PLC, Baie Verte, Newfoundland, stopped its mining operations in Newfoundland and later went into bankruptcy. TB The author is editor of METALS Recycling Magazine . (metalsrecyclingmagazine.com). This article was originally published in METALS Recycling, September/ October 2023.

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

BY PAUL D’ADAMO

Organize Your COA to CYA Some reasons why most small business owners don’t read their P&L.

What Is a COA [Chart of Accounts] and How Important Is It to the P&L? Technical definition (courtesy of Investopedia): The COA is an index of all financial accounts in a company’s general ledger. It is an organizational tool that lists by category and line item all the company’s financial transactions during a specific accounting period. These categories feed into your business’s two most

important financial statements: the P&L and balance sheet. The COA is the heart and soul of a P&L. As someone who sold their business to a publicly traded company, our P&L spoke volumes in terms of the type of company we were running. In other words, if your COA is a mess, your P&L will be unreadable and, therefore, useless in allowing owners to think critically and factually to make short and long-term decisions.

The Importance of Categories

Categories are critical in the COA. Take sales, for example; You will naturally have a category for parts sales and any other line items related to parts sales. Next, you should have a category for cores, commodities, and recalls. When categorizing your expenses, put every expense associated with employees into a labor category. There are typically many more expense categories like

TRUST ME WHEN I SAY HAVING A READABLE P&L WAS A GAME-CHANGER.

advertising, insurance, maintenance, and repairs. Organize your categories, prioritize them, and list them based on their cost to the business. Labor is our most significant expense, so list that first. Do not sort them alphabetically! We want owners to first see their largest expense categories and not get side-tracked.

Time Is Not on Your Side

Whether you are considering selling your business or not, get your financial house in order by hiring a CPA to assist in reorganizing your COA. The second recommendation would be to hire a professional appraiser to assess the value of your operation. It’s a wake-up call to measure your estimate of what the business is worth against a professional opinion. Most companies will look for financial statements from the last three to five years. Consistency from year to year is essential. Act now! I developed a “model” P&L with income and expense categories and line items prioritized and sorted. Drop me a line and I will send it to you. Trust me when I say having a readable P&L was a game-changer. TB

Paul D’Adamo is the RAS “Core Hunter at Rebuilders Automotive Supply and has been an active member of the auto recycling community for 31 years. He is now morphing into the Core Hunter, maximizing Core profits for recyclers.. Former owner of Bill’s Auto Parts, Regional Manager for Pick-n-Pull, Consultant at Recycling Growth, and Adjunct Faculty at Curry College and Babson College, Paul has always focused on Leadership, Communication, and Organizational Skills. Contact him at pauldadamo@coresupply.com or 401-458-9080.

ISTOCK.COM/MONSITJ

ost small business owners are not certified accounting or financial professionals, so they typically don’t do the books at their own business. They either hire people internally or outsource the work. However, they still need to be able to know what data is being processed to ensure their reports are factual and functional. Most importantly, we need solid accounting reports to run our operations profitably. For some, it might be in preparation for a possible sale. This article focuses on the P&L. Once your COA is in order, your balance sheet will be more effective.

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

BY BECKY BERUBE

UNITED ECOSYSTEM CONVERTER EXPOSÉ:

Nissan Infinity It pays to do your homework and understand the nuances surrounding catalytic converter valuations.

ake this Nissan Infinity G37 3.7 L with two “elbow” converters with a serial number or marking on the lower flange, with or without a heat shield. How much would you sell this converter for to your buyer?

Exhaust System Architecture

You have a left-side converter and a right-side converter, both with center O2 sensors. This is a two-converter exhaust system. QUESTION: When you look inside each catalytic converter, does it have one ceramic biscuit or two? Or is it one ceramic biscuit and one metallic substrate? ANSWER: The rounded section contains one ceramic biscuit and the oval section, one metallic substrate. Is the price you’re getting determined by the both the ceramic and metallic parts of the converter? How do you know?

Serial Number or Markings

What are the markings on the converter? 8Y7, AC3, EJ8R1, 1ETP4, EJ4F5, and on and on the numbers go, many are not found in converter look-up apps. On the prices we could find today, the prices ranged from $5 to $60 each with the following PGM prices: Platinum, $955; Palladium, $1,200; and Rhodium, $3,600. Not many of the unique serial numbers are in online catalog applications.

Becky Berube serves the recycling community as President of United Catalyst Corporation, . is a Member of the Automotive Recycling Association’s Educational Programming Committee . and is a Past President of the International Precious Metals Institute.

Assay Facts

In our converter testing laboratory, we tested 14 unique Nissan Infinity elbow converters and on the PGM markets above, the converters yielded prices between $45 to $170 each, with an average price of $100. In a separate test, we ran nine identical converters and that sample yielded, $114 each. These prices are for the ceramic portion only! The nearly three-pound metallic substrate adds an additional $40 per unit. A 2003 Infinity G35 3.5 L Elbow converter (left) and a 2012 Infinity G37 3.7 L Elbow with Shield converter (below).

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

BY BECKY BERUBE

Selling By-the-Piece: Physical Sale or By Auction

BE VERY CAREFUL IF YOU ARE USING AN APP TO INCLUDE THE PRICE OF THE CONVERTERS WHEN BUYING THE VEHICLE. –BECKY BERUBE

If you sell these Nissan Infinity converters by the piece, what price are you getting? For which serial number? Is the price you receive based on both the ceramic and metallic portions of the converter? It’s very hard to know the answers to these questions. Do you think someone might try to buy a $170 converter that looks identical to a $6 converter for less than it’s worth, especially if it cannot be found in a converter look-up app?

Selling on Assay

If you sell these Nissan Infinity converters on assay with a reputable processor, you will receive what the converter is worth, whether that is $45 or $170. And if that processor is transparent and gives you credit for the threepound metallic converter inside, you

will get an additional $40. The bottom line is that with two converters on these Nissan Infinity vehicles, at today’s markets, you are looking at $160 to $420 in converters. Be very careful if you are using an app to include the price of the converters when buying the vehicle. You can see from this example how wide the spread can be. Don’t let an app get you upside down. The data for this case study was powered by United Catalyst’s United Ecosystem. If you would like to learn more about our program, please reach out to request a demo. To learn more, or to stay informed on these topics, you can subscribe to our daily e-newsletter or get Platinum Group Metal prices texted twice daily to your phone, TEXT “Daily” to 844-713-PGMs (7467). You can also call us or email us at sales@unitedcatalystcorporation.com. TB

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

BY CARLOS BARBOZA FURZAN

? ? ?

The Power of

Questions

Asking the right questions on a regular basis can help you find new perspectives and empower you to live your best life.

he first step in becoming a better questioner is simply to ask more questions, and if you don’t ask the right questions, you can’t get the right answers. I believe that applies to people, leaders, and organizations. There is great power in inquiry. Questions have been an essential tool for human exploration, learning, and progress throughout history. They are the keys that unlock doors to new perspectives, insights, and understanding. In this article, I’d like to talk about two authors that I highly recommend, Tony Robbins and Ryan Holiday. Robbins said: “Quality questions create a quality life. Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.” He mentions that the destiny of our lives is preceded by our thoughts and feelings, and these, in turn, are preceded by our beliefs. After this, decisions and actions will be our biggest responsibility for our destiny. Of course, there are circumstances that influence that moment or any decision we make, but the results depend mainly on us. Therefore, a fundamental piece is the way we ask others and, even more importantly, the questions we ask

ourselves. Asking ourselves the right questions opens the way to getting the right answers, which lead us to the best results. The failures and successes in our personal relationships, performance in the business world, the way we relate to society and to ourselves, depend a lot on these questions, their answers and the actions we take. Not all questions are useful, only the ones that empower us.

“THE RIGHT QUESTION IS ALREADY HALF THE SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM.” –CARL JUNG

Anthony Robbins, in his successful book, Awaken the Giant Within, talks about how questions work in our mind. For instance, if we ask ourselves questions like: Why do I feel sad? We focus on finding reasons that justify and support that question. But, if we switch the question to: How can I take advantage of this adverse situation? Then your mind will

work to give you the answers you need. It’s in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped, Robbins said. Once we start asking quality questions, the next step should be a tool that emphasizes the development of self-control and resilience in the face of adversity, and there’s nothing like the Stoicism philosophy. The Stoics believed that by understanding the nature of the world and our place in it, we could learn to accept what we can’t change and focus on what we can control, leading to a peaceful and fulfilled life. The philosophy has recently seen a resurgence of interest, with many people finding its teachings relevant and practical in our modern, fast-paced world. So let me introduce Ryan Holiday. He is one of his generation’s most influential thinkers. Many people, from rappers to entrepreneurs, credit his writing for introducing them to the teachings of the stoic philosophers. Holiday says: “The right question at the right time can change the course of a life, can still a turbulent mind, or heal an angry heart. While every situation can generate its own, there are twelve questions, I think, that deserve to be asked not just once but many times over the course of a lifetime, some even many times over the course of the day.”

TOOLBOX EDITION

Due his extensive book and explanation of each question, I’m going to focus on a few questions that caught my attention. Let’s check them out: 1. IS THIS IN MY CONTROL? The more we focus on what’s in our control, the more empowered we are. 2. WHAT ARE MY PRIORITIES? Focus on what matters leads to a good life. Remember your vital energy is limited. 3. AM I LIVING ACCORDING TO MY VALUES? For Stoics, living in alignment with one’s values leads to a fulfilling and meaningful life. They believe that by identifying our values and striving to live by them, we can lead a true life with a sense of purpose and fulfillment. 4. WILL THIS BE ALIVE TIME OR DEAD TIME? Simple, live the present, forget the past and don’t worry about the future. 5. WHAT CAN I LEARN FROM THIS? Holiday says: “Wisdom and self-improvement are highly valued, and learning from experiences is a key to growth. They believe that by learning from our good and bad experiences, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us, leading to personal development and wisdom.” 6. WHAT IS THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN? Once you’ve accepted that the worst is going to happen, you’ll see that the worst isn’t as bad as you imagined it was, and it makes you feel calmer so that you can develop a plan to solve the immediate issue. 7. HOW CAN I HELP OTHERS? This question is related to my article entitled, “Value of Optimism.” Helping others feels good and leads you a more meaningful and fulfilling life. So start with your well-being by helping others. If you only focus on yourself, you cease to be a real human being, and you become no longer a “who,” but a “what.” Don’t be a “what,” Holiday reminds us, be a “who”! 8. IS THIS WHO I WANT TO BE? Your purpose of life should be finding your happiness. Are you working on that in the long run? In a nutshell, when we mix quality and stoic questions, try to also add the positive aspects of your life. For instance, practicing gratitude is an important aspect, so if you’re feeling down, stop whatever you’re doing and ask yourself: What am I grateful for? You can think about your family, health, good friends, business, even the blessing of living in the USA. This can help you shift your focus from what’s lacking in your life to what you already have, increasing your sense of contentment and well-being. Blessings. TB Carlos Barboza Furzan 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

BY JAKE NAWROCKI

Time A ND

Space A ND

Money The space required to store parts and the duration that those parts sit on your shelves, can cost you money.

ou have heard the expression, “time is money.” We all understand that. We get paid an hourly rate to work for customers and we get paid by the hour at our job. We pay storage fees based on time, etc. We pay or are paid units of money in exchange for units of time, and vice versa. If you happen to be an astrophysicist, you have an understanding of the relationship between time, space, speed, and gravity. I am not an astrophysicist, and I have no understanding of these things, except for the obvious. But let’s not focus on the far reaches of the universe, rather let’s look at our business closer to home. When it comes to space, we all have a different amount

available. Some recyclers have the advantage of enormous amounts of space in which they can allow hundreds, if not thousands, of cars to sit in inventory while they await the allotted time until they are crushed. Others are operating out of a postagestamp-size lot in an urban area, where the space is so valuable that no cars sit there. As soon as the desired parts are removed, the car is shipped and becomes part of history. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. The fact remains that space has a certain amount of value. When the shelves and racks are all empty, when the yard is empty, we have so much unused space that it has little value. But when the shelves are full and the parts keep getting dismantled, they need somewhere to go and we are left with few options. If

we have the acreage and the means, the temptation is to add on and make more storage space. That may be the right decision, but one of the things we must consider is the cost. Would we be better off just throwing some stuff away to make room? Should we spend money (and time) creating more space? It really is not that difficult to determine. If the new building that you are dreaming up is going to be 30x60x12 feet, for example, you have 21,600 cubic feet of storage. Now all you have to do is figure out the cost of the building. Be sure to include storage devices like racking and any other expenses that are going to be involved. Let’s just say $100,000. That is probably low but we can use the number to make the point. If we spread that cost over 20 years (another arbitrary number), the cost of that new storage building comes to $5,000 per year. That volume we calculated can’t be completely full of parts, so we need to deduct space for aisles and the displacement of the shelving, as well as the unusable space way up high, if we don’t use it. Let’s estimate that our useful volume of storage space is 20,000 cubic feet. If we divide that into the $5,000 per year, we now know that the storage space costs $.25 per cubic foot per year. Sounds cheap, but we didn’t talk about the other expenses that should be added in. This includes energy for lighting and driving that forklift, snow removal (if it applies), labor for maintenance and cleaning, and even an increase in property taxes for the improvement. It all adds up. Sure, a wiper motor or an alternator may only use up about half of that cubic foot, but a door, fender, bumper cover or engine all take up a lot more space. So as the weeks stretch into months, and then years, that part sitting there all that time owes you. We don’t want tenants that only break us even, we want a return on our investment. And the sad reality is, we are going to have to evict a certain percentage of those parts if they are not paying their way, they have to go.

Jake Nawrocki, with sister Katy Joles, own and operate Rocki Top Auto Recyclers in Glen Flora, Wisconsin. The company was formed in 1988, and Jake and Katy took over operations in 2009. Since that time, they have been working both in and on the company, in a region that is economically challenged. “Our goal is to make Rocki Top Auto a destination.” Contact Jake at 715-322-5774 or rockitopauto.com.

JORGE ARANA, KREATIVE PRODUCTIONS

TOOLBOX EDITION

IF YOU HAVE NOT THOUGHT ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE, OR EVER, WHY NOT SPEND A LITTLE TIME REVIEWING YOUR BUSINESS PRACTICE IN THE AREA OF PARTS STORAGE AND SHELF LIFE? This all sounds easy and looks good, right? Easy to say for some, but not so easy to do. I have a hard time seeing inventory thrown out. Sure, it has a little scrap value, but it is still hard for me. I’m not talking parts with core value either. I just don’t like it, because all I can see is the TIME we spent removing, cleaning, picturing, and storing the part. All I can see is the SPACE that is so valuable and could have been better used. All I really can see is the MONEY that all of that time and all of that space cost me. It does help to look at this with a formula, and it does help me to make better choices when

it comes to inventory management. Grandpa said, “Don’t continue making a mistake, just because you spent a lot of time making it.” Wise words. So what are we to do? That depends a lot on your goals and values. At our yard we want to get a part in the customer’s hands as quickly as possible. eBay, our biggest online selling platform, demands it. Customers like getting parts fast. They also seem to really like getting a quality part. If we have taken the time to pull the part, clean it up, and take a dozen photos of it, we want it to be in that same quality condition as we had it listed. If we have

a nice tail light, and while it was stored in the car it was broken because someone set a rim on it, that’s bad. If we don’t have a suitable replacement we are now having an uncomfortable conversation with a customer who has already paid for the part. Or we can try and source one from another yard, but it is not easy to match the quality, or get the part in the customer’s hand in the same time frame. This is the big reason why we want more parts on our shelves: quality and time control. That is a little more difficult to quantify in a formula. If you have not thought about this for a while, or ever, why not spend a little time reviewing your business practice in the area of parts storage and shelf life? Here is a hint: think pricing and grocery stores. How many dollars’ worth of perishable food stuffs are thrown out every day, yet the store continues to make a profit? Is the loss of the discarded food made up for by the profits from the food that was sold? Food for thought. TB

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

BY SHAN LATHEM

CELEBRATING 80 YEARS!

® – Recycled Original Equipment ®

Celebrating

ARA’s Impact Now and In the Future Learn from our accomplishments and prepare for the road ahead.

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. By working on this team where the playing field is level, I was able to gain

more confidence in myself as a businessperson. I have realized now how continual growth is a requirement for future success. There is no end in sight to learning, especially as vehicle manufacturing is changing at a rapid pace and impacting our future business model. Change isn’t happening at the passing of the generational torch anymore. As owners, some of us will be faced with significant changes in the middle of our careers. For most of us, in our daily business we have the final say. We are used to making decisions that we think are best for our company. We are so used to it that I’ve heard Mike Kunkel tell us in PTC meetings, “You are UN-employable!” I’ve always felt he was right, because he usually is, but we would not be able to take direction from someone else. Yet, there is something to be said for the art of collaboration. 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.

CERTIFIED AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS (CAR) PROGRAM: Endorsements

from eBay, as well as the recently announced new ARA member benefit, called SHiFT (shift4tomorrow.org). CAR participants receive priority in accessing additional vehicle inventory, at best pricing. COMMUNICATIONS: Identifying weaknesses in strategy, both inside and outside of the industry, ARA has initiated

TOOLBOX EDITION

I have realized now how continual growth is a requirement for future success. There is no end in sight to learning, especially as vehicle manufacturing is changing at a rapid pace and impacting our future business model.

Above, left: Shan Lathem presents the Affiliate Chapter of the Year award to FADRA. Kim O’Dell and Bobby Davis accept the award. Left: Shan Lathem passes the gavel to Nick Daurio as ARA’s incoming president. Above: ARA’s Past Presidents and Executive Committee at ARA’s 80th Annual Convention & Expo in Kansas City, MO.

a marketing and digital audit to help understand how to facilitate and grow participation in ARA and utilize all that media and technology offers to cast a positive light on automotive recyclers. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: With a change in accounting personnel and procedures, we ushered in a higher standard of accountability to ensure ARA maximizes its budget and invests wisely in initiatives and resources for member benefit. STRENGTHENING INDUSTRY: We have diligently sought to strengthen communications with state chapters, and mended some relationships to be stronger, together.

3: CARYN SMITH

GROW REPAIR, REUSE AND RECYCLE MESSAGE: We continue to collab-

orate 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 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. TB Shan Lathem is the Past President of ARA for 2022-2023. She is CEO of Cocoa Auto Salvage, Cocoa, FL.

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

BY SUE SCHAULS

NMVTIS Reporting Complying to the NMVTIS reporting requirement ensures the salvage reporting system is up to date across all states.

he ARA (Automotive Recyclers Association) Certified Auto Recyclers or CAR program is having a banner year with the recent eBay Motors endorsement and requirement that auto recycling facilities must be CAR certified to sell airbags on their platform. That has been a great mechanism to make the auto recycling industry more aware of the CAR program (https://aracertification.com/recalls). ARA’s certified members have long known that the value-added benefit of being certified lies in the compliance assurance and peace of mind that comes with an annual audit of the rules and regulations governing this business. The CAR certification standards make those regulations easier to understand. There is a checklist available to download at https://aracertification.com/ for any member or non-member to use.

NMVTIS Reporting Requirement

One of the certification standards is that an auto recycler is reporting to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) salvage reporting system run by the Department of Justice (DOJ). The online system went into place in March 2009. Since that time, it is required that all businesses handling five or more junk or salvage vehicles per year must report specific information about those vehicles to the national database. Enforcement is ongoing and reporting is required in every state.

“All auto recyclers, salvage yards, and junk yards were required to begin monthly reporting of salvage vehicle data to NMVTIS on March 31, 2009,” said the DOJ. Failure to report to NMVTIS as required may result in assessment of a civil penalty of $1,000 per violation. The DOJ is not obligated to perform a site visit or provide additional time to provide data or correct reporting deficiency before imposing any penalty. Even though enforcement staffing is underfunded, it is always good business practice to set up a system of attaining or maintaining compliance even if the threat of penalty seems low. More information is available on the NMVTIS website at www.vehicle history.gov. Affected businesses include vehicle recyclers, scrap vehicle shredders, scrap metal processors, pull or pick-a-part yards, salvage pools, salvage auctions, auto brokers, tow companies, used auto dealers, vehicle re-marketers, body shops, auto wholesalers and auto import/ export companies. For each junk, salvage or total loss vehicle handled, businesses must provide: 1. The business name, address and contact information 2. The VIN 3. The date the vehicle was obtained 4. From whom the vehicle was obtained 5. If the vehicle was or will be crushed, sold or used for parts 6. Whether the vehicle is intended for export.

NMVTIS reporting is done through approved NMVTIS service providers known as third-party consolidators. There are four reporting methods available, listed at the bottom of the webpage https://vehiclehistory.bja.ojp.gov/nmvtis_ auto#auto. Most have a free reporting option for individual VIN reporting or low-cost options for bulk VIN reporting. One issue that came to light through CAR members’ annual audit of the NMVTIS standard was that the “most recent report date” may not reflect accurate information. The ARA is working on the problem to facilitate a global fix of the issue. It does not appear that the reporting of VINs to NMVTIS is in error, only that the public record information does not reflect the actual most recent report date. Auto recyclers are urged to periodically check their “reporting status” at https://www.nmvtis-le.org/ NMVTISReportingStatus to verify that the public record reflects their data correctly. If the public information is at odds with the facility’s actual report date, contact your third-party consolidator to fix the issue. The identification and resolution of this issue, unique to auto recyclers, is just one of the industry benefits of the ARA Certified Auto Recyclers or CAR program. Through the CAR program, the ARA Certification Committee can continue to proactively identify regulatory issues with which auto recyclers struggle and provide assistance to help close the gap. The CAR program guidance material can be found at https://aracertification. com/guidance. TB

Sue Schauls is an environmental and safety expert whose career started 28 years ago at the Iowa Waste Reduction Center at University of Northern Iowa. . She is currently the Executive Director of the Iowa Automotive Recyclers trade association and is the compliance consultant to the industry through the ARA’s Certified Auto Recyclers (CAR) program and the I-CARE program – Iowa Certified Automotive Recyclers Environmental Program. Sue assists recyclers in maintaining environmental and safety compliance.

TOOLBOX EDITION

BY STACEY PHILLIPS

F E AT U R E D C I EC A CO M M I T T E E :

EV and Battery Committee Working together, the committee is evaluating the impact EVs will have on all facets of the industry.

n 2022, one of CIECA’s active committees, Recycled Parts and Inventory, was discussing recycled electric vehicle (EV) parts. The committee, chaired by Ginny Whelan, senior consultant for the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA), ultimately found that questions kept arising about how an EV’s lifecycle and batteries would impact recycled parts. As a result, the EV and Battery Committee was formed March 1, 2023. Since then, the EV and Battery Committee has been chaired by Whelan, as well as Frank Phillips, former senior manager, Certified Collision North America for Rivian, and Jake Rodenroth, North American Body Repair Program operations manager for Lucid Motors. The committee brought together companies and individuals from all industry segments to discuss how EVs will change the current business workflows and data. Committee members are working to identify new data sources, access and shar“As more EVs arrive on the market, ing requirements, the collision industry segments connectivity methneed to focus on how these vehicles odologies, workflows and terminology. The will change the current business committee will also workflows and data needed to help enhance CIECA continue to share data electronically.” messages and code lists and help build

ISTOCK.COM/PASHA PECHENKIN

relationships to resolve issues outside of CIECA. Paulette Reed, CIECA’s technical project manager, said the goal is to create new workflows that will show the lifecycle of an EV and its battery. Those workflows will then be used to generate new messages and data elements. “As more EVs arrive on the market, the collision industry segments need to focus on how these vehicles will change the current business workflows and data needed to continue to share data electronically,” said Reed. Whelan said there is an education component of the committee to help everyone understand the evolving issues with EVs. During the meetings, the committee has been focusing on the safe handling of an EV, the impact of parts and materials on the collision repair process, and the availability of charging stations. She said the committee will also likely discuss EV battery issues, such as mining, manufacturing and battery strength. “I think the safety component is definitely something worth spotlighting and ensuring that the industry has a good understanding of,” said Phillips. “We want the industry to have the proper knowledge and understand what it takes to repair these vehicles.” To get involved, go to https://www. cieca.com/About/committees. TB

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

BY EDMUND SCHWENK

30%

of the World’s Precious Metals

Come from RECYCLING! n recent years, there has been a remarkable shift in the global precious metal supply chain, with approximately 30% of the world’s precious metal supply now originating from recycling efforts. This transformation represents a significant milestone in the sustainable management of Earth’s finite resources and reflects the growing awareness of the environmental and economic benefits of recycling precious metals. Traditionally, precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium have primarily been obtained through mining, a process that often comes with considerable environmental and social costs. However, as society has become more environmentally conscious and concerned about the ethical implications of mining, the recycling of precious metals has gained prominence. Recycling precious metals involves the collection and reprocessing of used and discarded items containing these

valuable materials. This can range from old electronics, jewelry, catalytic converters, and industrial waste to name a few. The metals are carefully extracted, refined, and reintroduced into various industries, reducing the need for fresh mining operations. There are several key factors contributing to the rise of precious metal recycling:

1. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: Recycling precious metals signifi-

cantly reduces the environmental impact associated with mining. It conserves energy, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and minimizes habitat disruption, soil erosion, and water pollution. 2. ETHICAL SOURCING: Ethical concerns surrounding mining practices, such as conflict minerals and child labor, are mitigated when precious metals are sourced from recycled materials. 3. ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY: Recycling precious metals is often more cost-effective than mining new resources. It

also reduces the market’s vulnerability to price fluctuations caused by supply shortages.

4. TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS: Advances in recycling tech-

nologies have made the extraction and refinement of precious metals from complex electronic waste and other materials more efficient and cost-effective. Edmund Schwenk has been engaged in the processing/refining/manufacturing of precious metals for over 30 years. Early on, he received training in a laboratory setting as an assayer utilizing classical fire assay, crucible fusion, and cupellation techniques. This coupled with in plant manufacturing process experiences led to advancement as Senior Vice President in charge of precious metals refinery operations for Pure Metals Corporation, directing the fabrication of high purity precious metals products sputtering targets for multiple defense contractors and government testing laboratories. Ed’s unique experience has benefited noble6 through the development of two disruptor . technologies for use in the auto catalyst recycling . sector. Visit noble6’s website at www.noble6.com . or call 619-427-8540 for more information.

ISTOCK.COM/MONSITJ

From economic efficiency to environmental sustainability, recycling precious metals offers tremendous benefits.

TOOLBOX EDITION

Traditionally, precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium have primarily been obtained through mining, a process that often comes with considerable environmental and social costs. 5. CONSUMER AWARENESS: As consumers and industries increasingly prioritize sustainability, the demand for recycled precious metals has grown, prompting more businesses to invest in recycling initiatives. This 30% figure is a testament to the ongoing transition towards a circular economy where valuable resources are continually reused, extending the lifespan of precious metals and minimizing waste. It exemplifies a collective commitment to sustainable practices and responsible resource management, ultimately safeguarding the planet and ensuring a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come. TB

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

BY MIKE FRENCH

POWERFUL THINGS THAT NEVER CHANGE IN

Advertising

any years ago, when I first started out in marketing, I had a master marketer with a fantastic sales record tell me that most ads fail simply because they don’t have a compelling offer to drive customer response to them. He said the rule is this: No offer equals no response, period! So, I began to check

out every recycler ad I saw in industry publications and found he was right. Most of them had no offer at all, let alone a compelling one. Usually, the ads only included the name of their company at the top, such as “Joe’s Wrecking Yard,” along with their location and phone number at the bottom. But I found this was also common in many industries – businesses just assumed people would call them by just seeing their name and

number. Nothing could be further from the truth! This became painfully evident when I relied on a real estate agent to sell my home for me. Here’s what happened. A few years ago, I decided to sell my house so we could move into a bigger place. We needed more room for our children, and I needed room for a new office. It had been a wonderful house for just a few of us, but with four children, the three-bedroom house was bulging at the seams. So, I did the typical thing: I signed with a real estate broker to sell my house. Several weeks passed with little results. Even after two open houses, not much happened. Hardly anyone came to look at my house. Here was the problem. There were dozens of other houses also for sale in their listings, and mine was pretty much lost in the crowd. I was not happy with the slow advertising methods of the traditional real estate people. I decided I could do a lot of advertising for the commission I was paying, and I could get better results, too. So, I wrote my own ad and placed it in the newspaper. I started my ad with the headline, “Owner Forced to Leave His Beautiful Dream Home!” I said it had been freshly painted inside and out; it looked and smelled new; it had new carpets and a new roof. It also had gardens in full

Mike French is retired from 39 years of business in the automotive recycling industry. He is an author, publisher, consultant and speaker. Mike is founder and . Executive Director of Christian Auto Recyclers & Vendors Association (CARVA) and will be at upcoming recycler trade shows and events. Mike is available to speak at your group, conference or event. He loves to share inspirational stories which demonstrate how the Word of God actively changes lives. He can be reached at mike@carva.group. Visit www.CARVA.group, and/or visit www.PowerPackedPromises.com.

ISTOCK.COM/HASE-HOCH-2

Creating sales offers so compelling they can’t be refused.

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

BY MIKE FRENCH

bloom with roses, peonies, and other flowers, fruit trees, a greenhouse, and a vegetable garden. I said I hated to leave this beautiful home, but I was forced to move because of my job and family situation. I said, “This dream house will be going to a very, very lucky family!” My phone rang off the hook. I got over fifty phone calls the day the ad hit, and I sold the house to the first person who called. She begged me to hold it until she could get earnest money down on it. Later, she told me she was sold the moment she read my ad. I had described exactly what her dream house looked like. Notice, she had already bought it sight unseen! The advertising copy itself was irresistible, and it sold her. Your ads should do the same thing! You must craft an irresistible offer if you want to make a sale. Here’s what to do. CREATE A CRAVING. You must overcome buyer resistance and procrastination by describing the exciting benefits

they’ll get in such a way that they can’t help but respond. In other words, describe what they will get because of using your products and services. Will their life be better? Will they make more money? Will they be happier? EXAMPLE: Imagine saving 60% of what you’re presently paying for new auto parts. The savings on a $100 part will put $60 back into your pocket. Think of what you can do with all the money you will save in a year. Buy a new car. Buy a new boat. Take that dream vacation.

SOLVE A PAIN/WORRY/PROBLEM: Find a problem, agitate it, and then solve it. Find out what keeps your customers awake at night. The more in tune with their problems you are, the better you can solve their problems with your products and services. EXAMPLE: Is your competition about to put you out of business? Are they about to take away the many years of hard work you’ve invested in your business? Don’t worry. Our new, “Pay-You-Back Parts

Buying System” will blow your competition out of the water!

LIST THE NON-RESPONSE CONSEQUENCES: Tell them what will

happen if they fail to respond to your offer. Some possibilities: 1. There is a limited quantity on hand, so they must hurry before supplies are gone. 2. Prices go up when a coupon expires. 3. You can only handle so many calls, and some may not get through. INCLUDE A CUTOFF DATE. A legitimate cutoff date will cause prospects to call you now rather than procrastinate. Usually, an odd date will work better because it sounds more legitimate to prospects. EXAMPLE: Hurry; the coupon expires on Thursday, May 4, at 5:00 p.m. You know you’ve created the right kind of offer when your ad causes prospects to drop what they’re doing, grab their phone, and place an order. In other words, you’ve created an offer so compelling that it can’t be refused. TB

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

REGIONAL NEWS

EVENTS HAPPENING NEAR YOU A. I-CARE AND CAR PROGRAMS It pays to be a part of the I-CARE and CAR programs as they can be the best return on investment for your facility.

WEST MIDWEST SOUTH NORTHEAST We would love to hear your employee, company, and state news: toolbox@a-r-a.org

The ARA 80th Anniversary Convention & Expo Red, White, and Boots Awards Gala was so much fun!

We were able to bring the Randy Reitman Traveling Certified Automotive Recycler trophy to Chuck’s Auto Parts Solutions to present to Roger and Nathan Novak during our annual PARTS HYBRID & EV TRAINING and Annual meeting. Congratulations to the team at Novak’s Auto Parts for being recognized as the best of the best in 2023!

TOOLBOX EDITION

REGIONAL NEWS

Auto Recycler’s Midwest News

I-CARE and CAR Programs

BY MIKE SWIFT

It pays to be a part of the I-CARE and CAR programs as they can be the best return on investment for your facility.

few years ago I was in a fight with the “We Buy Junk” car people. I would have meetings about them and discuss how to stop them from playing in the same sandbox with no regulations, no license, and no overhead. Somehow they would find out and park their trucks outside the Merton place. Then one day a guy from the EPA came in and had a report that our business was dumping oil and gas all over the place. We were drawing oil, freon, and gas – all part of the program. The EPA, along with Iowa Department of Natural Resources, found a spot of oil that was actually from a hydraulic hose leak. So we had to dig up the dirt, put it on a tarp and let it sit in order to homogenize the dirt. We got samples and sent them to the lab to have them tested. By having Sue Schauls as our environmental person and being part of CAR and I-CARE, we had nothing to fear. We had to wait for the test results, which eventually came back with low numbers. Then we had to get the approval to haul the load of dirt to the landfill. Being an Iowa auto recycler, as well as being a certified auto recycler and part of I-CARE, we don’t fear those entities.

Larry, the scrapper guy was draining oil, gasoline, etc. in his driveway and we knew nothing would happen to him…and nothing did. The regulators can find us. They can’t find Larry. Being on a list makes us a target. Get certified. Don’t fear regulators. Today’s certification program is much easier to get started. Take baby steps. Before you know it, you will be certified. TB CLASSIFIED

Overwhelmed with inventory backlogs? Have a new hire that needs to be trained on your yard’s system? I am proficient in Checkmate YMS and am happy to help you and your staff get caught up and ready to go! Give me a call or send me a quick email to get started.

Mike Swift

mike@trailsendauto.com | cell 515.208.8805

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

TOOLBOX® MISSION BY RECYCLERS FOR RECYCLERS We deliver the Automotive Recycler Trade Show Experience to those who do not attend industry events and trade shows. We also reinforce the automotive trade show experience for those who do attend them. We accomplish our mission by being current, educational and instructional. Each edition of the Auto Recycler’s ToolBox ® Magazine includes the following: • Educational and instructional “how-to” articles written by top industry professionals, leaders & trade show speakers. • Information from providers of industry-related products and service you typically see at industry events and trade shows.

PUBLISHED 6 TIMES A YEAR AutoRecyclingNow.com/Toolbox CELEBRATING 80 YEARS!

® – Recycled Original Equipment ®

PUBLISHER / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Sandy Blalock Automotive Recyclers Association Sandy@a-r-a.org EDITOR / ART DIRECTOR

Caryn Smith, Driven By Design Toolbox@a-r-a.org ADVERTISING SALES

Jay Mason, Driven By Design ToolboxAds@a-r-a.org

ARA OPERATIONS 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

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS ASSOCIATION OFFICERS PRESIDENT

Nick Daurio Daurio Auto Truck Pueblo, CO nick@daurioauto.com 1ST VICE PRESIDENT

Eric Wilbert Wilbert’s U-Pull-It, LLC Williams, NY eric.wilbert@wilberts.com 2ND VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURER

Shannon Nordstrom Nordstrom’s Automotive, Inc. Garretson, SD shannon@nordstromauto.com SECRETARY

Sean Krause Speedway Auto Parts, Ltd. Joliet, IL sean.krause@speedwayap.com IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Shan Lathem Cocoa Auto Salvage Cocoa, FL shan@cocoaautosalvage.com ARA CONTACT INFORMATION

ARA Headquarters. Manassas, VA (571) 208-0428. staff@a-r-a.org. www.a-r-a.org For all print and digital advertising, email ToolboxAds@a-r-a.org. For editorial or production information, e-mail Toolbox@a-r-a.org or call (239) 225-6137.

® – Recycled Original Equipment ®

9113 Church Street Manassas, VA 20110-5456 USA