Dave Horsnell, MD of DLH Autorecyclers Ltd, on Smart Investment, Industry Confidence, and the Future of Vehicle Recycling
The UK vehicle recycling industry is continuously changing, and DLH Autorecyclers in North Walsham, Norfolk, reflects this ongoing transformation. Owner Dave Horsnell has guided the business through a comprehensive program of modernisation and investment, driven by experience and strategic foresight rather than necessity.
Over the past 18 months, Dave’s business has invested approximately £750,000 into infrastructure, equipment, staffing, and technology. “It wasn’t about keeping up,” he explains. “It was about applying what we know, being shrewd with where we invest, and preparing for sustainable, managed growth.”
The centrepiece of this investment is a new dismantling workshop, part of a four-year plan that overcame delays in planning permission and now forms the heart of their upgraded operations. Alongside it are new depollution rigs, new forklifts, a new scrap handler crane with extended reach, and solar panel installations to mitigate energy costs. These upgrades allow the yard to function with greater efficiency, even while staying open and operational throughout the transition.
The results speak for themselves: in the last 18 months alone, vehicle dismantling has surpassed 5,000 units, and sales are up by 33%. Much of this success, Dave believes, is down to technology, specifically, the switch to Eladene, a parts management system that has allowed his team to streamline everything from inventory tracking to customer service. “We were one of the early users of Eladene,” Dave notes. “It’s grown with us and enabled a level of efficiency we simply didn’t have before.”
Efficiency, however, is not just about software. It’s cultural. Dave credits much of his success to his team, many of whom have been with the business for years. “We sat down together, discussed what was working and what wasn’t, and made changes based on that,” he says. “If you make your team’s life easier, everything flows better.”
Staff investment extends to recruitment as well, especially on the dismantling side, where ex-technicians are increasingly drawn to the more dynamic, problem-solving nature of modern auto recycling. “It’s not old-school spanner work anymore, it’s almost technician-level,” Dave explains. “We’re always on the lookout for people who want that challenge.”
The yard’s transformation comes at a time of renewed optimism for the vehicle recycling sector. Dave believes we may be entering a “golden age,” buoyed by digitisation, rising parts demand, and growing awareness around sustainability. “Customers are asking the right questions now, about warranty, grading, provenance, and we can give them the answers. That’s the difference.”
On the commercial side, he sees a shift in perception from insurers, particularly in body panel reuse. “It’s been a slow burner, but now we’re moving good quantities of panels. It’s a sign that insurers are finally starting to trust in our quality and consistency.”
And what about the bigger picture, the rise of electric vehicles, growing manufacturer involvement, and sweeping changes in legislation? For Dave, these are challenges to be met head-on. “Every few years, there’s panic, whether it was LPG, AdBlue, or EVs. We buy the equipment, do the training, and get on with it. The industry doesn’t wait for solutions. It finds them.”
While many in the sector are engaging in aggressive expansion, with some eyeing massive warehousing and automation, Dave is more measured. “We’re not chasing the biggest numbers. We’ve built what we need for our next phase, and we’re confident in what we’ve done. This business was built from the ground up, and I want it to be sustainable, not just scalable.”
“The industry’s changed, yes, but our values haven’t,” Dave says. “We’re proud of what we’ve built. And we’re not done yet.”
