March 28-30 saw the Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA) host its annual Convention and Trade Show. This year, Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls played host, and the 2025 Convention was a special event, in that it marked the retirement of Steve Fletcher from day-to-day duties as Executive Director of the association and Managing Director of the OARA.
Tariffs and collaboration
Things began with a yard tour of Thorold Auto Solutions in nearby Thorold, followed by a Recycled Auto Parts roundtable discussion that brought together stakeholders from across the circular economy spectrum including auto recyclers, vendors, insurers, collision repair networks and OEMs. This year, Ryan Mandell, from Mitchell International present some of the company’s latest findings related to claims for both EV and conventional vehicles, and some trends regarding severity, repair procedures, vehicle complexity, plus the concern around the U.S. government’s stance regarding tariffs on raw materials and finished products including vehicles.
One thing that has been consistent over the years, is the level of collaboration that’s existed in the auto recycling sector in Canada, and there was some encouraging discussion regarding this, including communication between insurers, collision repair networks and recyclers, showing the benefits in using recycled parts versus new or aftermarket, including lower costs, greater availability during supply chain disruptions, and a significantly lower carbon foot print, since these parts are OE and already in circulation.
Recycled parts trends
On March 28, the OARA Conference officially began, with more than 300 recyclers present, as well as scores of vendors, insurance carrier representatives and OEMs. Following opening remarks from OARA Chair Greg Woodbeck of Woodbeck Auto Parts and Mathieu Dagonas, OARA’s new Executive Director, things kicked into high gear with Ryan Mandell from Mitchell, discussing Recycled Parts Trends for Recyclers, Repairers and Insurers.
Mandell talked about repairable severity and how it is continuing to increase, making cars more expensive and more complicated to fix. A big factor is the growth in Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) requiring collision centres to not only focus on the structural and cosmetic aspect of repairs but also in terms of safety and technology.
Mandell also noted that with more parts required in each repair, and the complexity of vehicles increasing with each model year, even as those vehicles age, the cost to fix them doesn’t decline.
An added complication today is the tariff situation, which is likely to hamper supply chains as well as drive up costs. For the automotive industry which has become hugely integrated between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, this presents a whole host of problems, from parts delays to rising costs, limited vehicle availability, lost jobs and others. For automotive recyclers however, this situation, also provides a significant opportunity. Mandell noted that auto recyclers have a very clean supply chain, as it is very transparent to see where the parts come from. Furthermore, as local businesses, they aide local communities and the circular economy while also representing a true “environmentally friendly” alternative to newly manufactured parts.
Higher utilization
Mandell said that insurers are increasingly paying attention to the benefits of recycled parts and we’re seeing utilization rates of around 10% in Quebec, and not far behind in Ontario. Mandell noted that he’s seen one insurance carrier in Ohio achieve a 17% utilization rate on recycled parts, so the opportunities are there.
A Young Leaders Panel discussion followed, moderated by Steve Fletcher and featuring Tom Charlton from Pro Auto Recyclers; Max Winkler from J&B Auto Recyclers and Adam Budden from Auto Parts Network. All three talked about their experiences getting into the auto recycling industry and growing within it. Adam Budden stressed that it was important to stay within the sector and keep learning and not to get complacent.
Tom Charlton stressed the importance of standardized systems and process and how that can lead to significant growth and success, highlighting Pro Auto’s expansion into new markets such as its operation in Alberta.
Max Winkler discussed the importance of having good staff and investing in them, especially in era where costs are increasing, and vehicles are getting harder to source. Doing so can help the business grow and thrive during times of uncertainty, as well as enabling leadership and management to focus more on the business instead of being “in it” day after day.
Quality control
A Quality Control and Recycled Parts Discussion with Frank Serravalle of Thorold Auto Solutions and Natalie Miller from Miller’s Auto Recycling; looked at the importance of quality in auto recycling, both in terms of the parts and the process.
Natalie Miller stressed that quality control needs to be a concept that’s pushed through the entire organization and not focused on one specific area. By getting the whole team on board and everybody understanding what the expectations are, the result is a much smoother process for the business and its customers.
Frank Serravalle noted that a pilot program Thorold Auto Solutions has conducted with Intact, has been very effective in defining what quality is and resulted in a major rethink of the entire process in sourcing and supplying used parts for collision repairs.
Serravalle said it was critical in getting the right parts, particularly when it comes to electronic items and ensuring communication is transparent and effective at every stage of the process.
Both panelists stressed the need to have standardized operating procedures in sourcing and supplying parts and creating a “best practice” outline that all recyclers can use would go along way in addressing some challenges the industry still faces.
Eric Wilbert, from Wilbert’s Premium Auto Parts and President of the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) in the U.S., took to the stage. He talked about the origins of Wilbert’s and how it started out as a farm and became a Buick specialty yard before branching out into other General Motors nameplates and eventually other makes, expanding its footprint to multiple locations in the U.S northeast. Wilbert stressed the importance of staying focused on key priorities when it comes to business and not getting sidelined or distracted. Regarding ARA he said that committees represent the heart of any association and it’s important to be hyper-focused on results, especially as those that sit on these committees tend to volunteer their time on top of their day jobs. He strongly encouraged attendees to attend an ARA Convention if they haven’t already since, it provides additional opportunities to network and collaborate, helping drive the industry forward on both sides of the border.
Succession considerations
Becky Turcotte, from Millar Private, provided some highly valuable information on succession planning, and the key things to consider, including tax accounting, legal aspects, insurance and investments, as well as the business and its assets.
She talked about the risk of capital gains and other tax leakage, especially if succession plans aren’t properly structured. Following the sessions on Friday, attendees had the opportunity to visit the on-site trade show, which included multiple vendor displays, food as well as raffle prizes and a silent auction.
On Saturday, the sessions resumed with Carly Masters from Dom’s Auto Parts providing an update to OARA members on the marketing and communications committee, as well as essential steps to succeed when it comes to social media marketing for auto recyclers.
A Quality Control Panel hosted by Natalie Miller featuring Trevor Nissen, from Hanks Auto Wreckers; Sean McCooey from Miller’s Auto Recycling and Jeff McGregor, from McGregor’s Auto Parts looked at various aspects to ensure consistent quality control. These include proper documentation and image capture, the cleanliness of parts, and a proper grading system to help ensure customers know what they’re getting and reducing the risk of returns.
The panelists also talked about the importance of data sharing with collision centres to ensure they can ship the right parts at the right time.
EV dismantling
Tom Charlton and Dave Langille from Langille’s Auto Parts also provided great insight into the opportunities and challenges in acquiring and dismantling EVs, including the demand for batteries and motors, as well as front end and trim parts, particularly on vehicles like Teslas. Both talked about the importance of using proper safety protocols and PPE when handling these vehicles, as well as some of the risks that come with handling used EV components, including lowering the charge on batteries so they are safe for transportation.
Greg Aguilera from International Automotive Consulting, delivered a session on EV Safety, including not only protocols for dismantling these vehicles, but how to properly store them and their batteries, and the need to properly train their staff so they can work on these vehicles safely and consistently.
Aguilera also provided a demonstration workshop while attendees visited Miller’s Auto Recycling near Fort Erie, the second of two facility tours that bookended the convention.
Shannon Nordstrum from ARA, along with Denis Desjardins of S&S Auto Parts and Jeff Lanoue of A&L Auto Recyclers discussed hiring and retention practices and some of the reasons why it can be challenging to hire good salespeople. Nordstrum said that successful onboarding is often key to retaining staff and recyclers should look at different strategies, such as base salary and profit-sharing plans to incentivize and retain good staff, as well as showing empathy. Ensuring staff have the right tools to do their job properly is also essential as is creating an environment that fosters teamwork and camaraderie, including after-hours activities, such as golf tournaments and social events.
Steve Fletcher tribute
Rounding out this year’s OARA Convention was a very special luncheon in tribute to Steve Fletcher, an individual who has contributed so much to the auto recycling industry over the last three decades. Former OARA board members were invited to recollect their experiences and time working with Steve, including Bruce Woodbeck and Ed MacDonald, as well as Sandy Blaylock from ARA. It was a fitting end to a great conference, and we all wish Steve a very happy and well-earned retirement!
Article originally appeared in Autosphere May 2025.