Case Study: Van der Ven Automotive Recycling (NL)
From a small Dutch scrapyard to a major name in European auto recycling, Van der Ven Auto Recycling continues to expand its operations. Based on a 11-hectare site, the company processes up to 35,000 vehicles per year, with a recycling rate of 98.5% – an impressive figure that reflects their focus on efficiency and responsible material recovery.
The facility includes multiple dismantling zones, parts storage halls, a scrap processing area, and the ‘Venyard’, a self-service yard where customers can remove their own parts for fixed low prices.
To support the increasing throughput, Ven Auto has now taken delivery of its fifth Powerhand VRS, mounted to a Liebherr R922 excavator. The Powerhand VRS is a purpose-built attachment designed to dismantle end-of-life vehicles efficiently and with maximum material recovery.
The design of the VRS is what sets it apart, fully optimised to extract the maximum value from an end-of-life vehicle. The grapple is a sleek and plier like with a fixed leg to secure the part you want to remove and a moving leg that closes together, ensuring a firm grip. This means no guesswork is needed when picking off even the smallest of parts such as starter motors, alternators and hidden wiring looms.
The clamp legs of the VRS200 move both vertically and horizontally to give maximum processing dexterity and the horizontal movement allows the splitting of alloy engine heads and gearboxes away from the cast engine block itself. They even include multiple tools for cleaning parts of engines and removing plastic plugs from the wiring harness.
This allows operators to dismantle vehicles with speed and precision, extracting higher-grade materials such as engine and transmission assemblies, and axle and suspension components, from lower grade vehicle body materials.
“We’ve been using the VRS Powerhand for nearly ten years now,” Martijn Traas, Director at Ven der Ven Auto Recycling said. “It has made the process of dismantling end-of-life vehicles faster and more efficient. We’re very satisfied with the quality and maintenance support, which allows us to keep our operations running smoothly.”
Ven Auto’s continued investment in the VRS200 reflects their focus on high-efficiency processing and the importance of reliable, supported equipment in large-scale dismantling operations.
“The team at Ven Auto run a high-volume, high-efficiency site, and we’re proud that they’ve chosen the Powerhand VRS to help them meet this standard,” says Murray Clark, Managing Director at Powerhand. “The fact they’ve chosen to install five systems speaks to the long-term value and reliability the equipment delivers.”
With sustainability targets tightening, and the need to recycle end-of-life vehicles increasing, Van der Ven Autorecycling’s investment into their fifth VRS system highlights the critical role of reliable, high-performance equipment in modern auto recycling.
About Powerhand
Powerhand designs and manufactures specialist hydraulic attachments for the auto recycling, forestry, and rail sectors. The VRS (Vehicle Recycling System) range is used internationally to dismantle end-of-life vehicles with precision, efficiency, and a focus on material recovery.
