VIVA VENTRESCA
Thorold Auto Parts is giving it up for an industry veteran who has been with the company for 35 years. Sales manager, Mike Ventresca, recently celebrated his 35th year at the shop where he was first hired back in the mid-’80s. “I was hired back in ‘86,” said Ventresca in a phone interview with Collision Repair. “I was working at an auto wrecker at the time, then I came to Thorold. I was in the yard for about six months until I was brought up to sales and I’ve been with the company ever since.”
For the past 15 years, Ventresca has led the sales team at Thorold Auto and he has seen it all. Despite such a long and successful tenure in the industry, Ventresca has no intention of leaving the shop any time soon. “I’m not even thinking about retiring any time soon. I’ve probably got another five, six, seven years left in me, as long as I’m healthy. I enjoy it. They’re great people to work for and Frank [Serravalle, owner] has been great to me. Prior to that, they were always good to me.”
KEEPING TABS
The government of Saskatchewan has introduced legislation with the aim of tightening up regulations surrounding scrap metal theft in the province. The legislation includes an update to the Pawned Property Amendment Act and the requirements for reporting for scrap metal dealers. The changes would require that dealers obtain and record the identification and transaction information of the client from whom they are purchasing scrap metal, as well as the imposition of further restrictions on cash transactions in the attempt to curb the anonymous sale of stolen scrap metal. Theft of scrap metal, copper wiring and automotive parts has been on the rise nationwide over the last several years. However, the isolation of many rural residences in Saskatchewan makes the province an even more appealing home base for would-be thieves.
ANOTHER CATALYTIC CONUNDRUM
A Newfoundland auto recycler is in the hole for $8000 worth of scrap auto parts after thieves cut their way into a metal shipping container to grab the items. Leaving a square hole making that looked as though it were cut by an oversized can-opener, thieves managed to make off with copper wire, car batteries and catalytic converters from Newco Metal and Auto Recycling in Marystown, Newfoundland.
BRINGING IN BATTERIES
The Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association is thrilled to welcome its newest member, RePowered Batteries. RePowered Batteries, headquartered in Gatineau, Quebec, takes electric vehicle batteries and repurposes them for future use in everything from solar power storage systems to grocery store grids. “RePowered Batteries take batteries from end-of-life electric vehicles and dismantle to build new batteries for micro-grid systems. Like a big backup battery,” said Julien Lemay, CEO of RePowered Batteries.
“The goal is to give batteries a second life—to extend the life of electric vehicle batteries, reduce the reliance on new material and also delay their recycling so that methods have improved by the time they get to recycling and metal extraction.” Last year, RePowered Batteries set up its pilot plant to produce its proof-ofconcept. The company plans to soon open its manufacturing plant in Gatineau, Quebec. Lemay is also the founder of the Canadian Second Life Battery Assocation, an organization advocating as a unified voice for second-life battery manufacturers. You can learn more about the organization by visiting cslba.ca.
