Toronto, Ontario -- January 4, 2013 -- BMW and Boeing have signed a collaboration agreement to participate in a joint venture in researching the recycling potential of carbon fibre, specifically vehicle end-of-life carbon fibre materials.
Both the BMW Group and Boeing are pioneers of the use of carbon fibre in their products. With the release of the BMW i3 in late 2013, followed later by the BMW i8, the BMW Group will bring two vehicles with a carbon passenger cell onto the market for the first time. Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner is made up of 50 percent carbon fibre material. Recycling composite material at point of use and at the end of the product life therefore is essential to both companies.
“Boeing for us is a suitable partner for a collaboration in the field of carbon fibre”, said Herbert Diess, Member of the Board of BMW AG for Development. “Boeing has many years of extensive experience using carbon fiber in the field of aviation, while the BMW Group has earned a significant competitive advantage through its use of special manufacturing methods for series production of carbon fiber parts. Through this cooperation we can merge know-how between our industries in the field of sustainable production solutions.”
As part of the collaboration agreement, Boeing and the BMW Group will share carbon fiber manufacturing process simulations and ideas for manufacturing automation. The collaboration agreement between the two companies is the first in the history of either company.
Hamilton, Ontario -- January 2, 2012 -- Pic N Save Self Serve Auto Parts recently welcomed us for a tour of its facility at 19 Linden St. in Hamilton, Ont.
The operation has many aspects that make it a unique entry to the marketplace. The name of the business itself provides a clue. Instead of ordering parts from disassembled vehicles, customers at Pic N Save come to the lot and pull the parts themselves. Although a number of auto recyclers do offer this “U-Pull” service in some way, owner/operator Benjy Katz believes that his model of doing business is unique to the area.
“We’re entirely devoted to u-pull. It’s the core of our business, which allows us to make the process much more efficient and appealing for the public and shop customers,” says Katz. “We only buy late model salvage vehicles, as we’re not interested in scrap, just quality parts at great prices.”
For more information on Pic N Save Self Serve Auto Parts , please visit picnsave.ca. For information about being featured in a Yard Photo Tour, please contact Mike Davey at 905-370-0101 or via email to
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Brampton, Ontario -- January 2, 2013 -- The Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association’s Cat Drive fundraising program is off to a strong start this year, with a number of donations already received. The Cat Drive helps provide funding for the OARA Employee Scholarship Program. The program provided 43 scholarships to the children of OARA Employees in 2012, a total of $34,000.
A special event was held recently at AADCO Auto Parts in Brampton, Ont., to announce the official start of the program. Steve Fletcher, Executive Director of OARA, also announced that as of January 2, 2013, a total of 44 catalytic converters had already been donated from the following OARA members:
• A & L Auto Recyclers
• Andy's Auto Wreckers
• Dom's Auto Parts
• Jones Auto Wreckers
• King's Auto Recycling
• P & G Auto
• Rock City Auto Supplies
• Valley Automotive
OARA has also received cash donations from Anprior/Ottawa Auto Parts, Corey Auto Wreckers, Hotch's Auto Parts, Kenilworth Auto and Sonshine Auto Parts.
OARA funds the scholarship program through a number of events throughout the year, including the salvage vehicle auction at the September Meeting and the Casino auction at the Annual Meeting. OARA is now asking Members to send in any of their catalytic convertors that they can spare.
The "cats" are being collected at AADCO Auto Parts in Brampton, Ont. until March 8, 2013. Participating auto recyclers can drop off catalytic converters at either AADCO Auto Parts directly, or at the OARA Drop Zone, noted as a pick-up for AADCO.
Cardinal Couriers has graciously agreed to waive the shipping charges for any catalytic converters that cannot be dropped off at OARA or the Drop zone, but all cats must be marked as for the OARA "Cat Drive."
Once the catalytic converters are at AADCO, John Bruner from Coreline Auto Parts will sort them and convert them into a donation to the OARA Employee Scholarship Program.
Richmond, British Columbia -- December 31, 2012 -- Pick-n-Pull Auto Dismantlers, a division of Schnitzer Steel Industries, has acquired four of Ralph’s Recycled Auto Parts locations in the communities of Richmond and Surrey, British Columbia.
The Ralph’s Empire Used Auto Parts location in Abbotsford will remain under the current ownership. The new business will be called Ralph’s Pick-n-Pull to honour the history and success of Ralph’s Recycled Auto Parts in the Vancouver market.
Ralph’s Pick-n-Pull will maintain current customer accounts regardless of the location with which you were originally affiliated. Customers will also still deal with the same people they have dealt with for years.
All phones, business hours and delivery routes will remain the same. The same credit terms, warranties and return policies will continue.
A statement from Ralph’s Pick-n-Pull says that over the coming months, customers can expect to see fresher inventory to fill parts requests. Pick–n-Pull has been serving Canadians for over eight years.
For more information on Pick-n-Pull Auto Dismantlers, please visit picknpull.com.
Columbus, Ohio -- December 17, 2012 -- The Ohio House of Representatives adjourned recently without casting a vote on Senate Bill 273, a controversial piece of legislation which would have allowed unlicensed and unregulated in-state and out-of-state buyers to purchase vehicles from Ohio salvage auctions.
ARA, the Ohio Auto & Truck Recyclers Association (OATRA) and local automotive recyclers throughout Ohio have been engaged in an extensive advocacy effort to defeat SB 273. ARA's discussions with Ohio lawmakers have detailed how Senate Bill 273 would seriously harm the automotive recycling industry in Ohio, as well as eliminate law enforcement, environmental and consumer protections that have been in place for over 30 years. Information regarding recent ARA testimony, letters and press releases on SB 273 are currently posted on our website.
Just a few weeks ago, it looked like SB 273 could pass out of the Insurance Committee and go before the full House of Representatives for a vote. Because of dedicated grassroots efforts on the part of Ohio's professional automotive recyclers to educate representatives about the legitimate risks associated with this bill, and about the tremendous economic value of the nearly 700 automotive recycling businesses in the state -- many of which are third and fourth generation establishments -- that did not happen.
ARA will continue to fight for a robust and competitive salvage vehicle marketplace for our members and future efforts will be informed by this year's debate in Ohio. Legislators across the nation are becoming more knowledgeable about professional automotive recycling and we will be sure to share the Ohio story with them. Because of these education efforts, more policymakers and industry representatives understand that access to quality salvage vehicles is vital to the growth of the professional automotive recycling industry and ensures that the best quality recycled auto parts are made available to today's automotive consumer.
ARA would like to recognize the leadership of OATRA President Jim McKinney, Executive Director Bob Lambert, and the entire OATRA Board of Directors for their steadfast commitment and many hours devoted to defeating Senate Bill 273. ARA would like to specifically thank George Sapir and Greg Bender for their testimony on behalf of ARA, along with all local Ohio auto recyclers for their outstanding grassroots advocacy efforts throughout the year and in recent weeks as multiple meetings and committee hearings were held.
