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Silverlake responds to the 2025 ABP State of the Industry Report
Silverlake Automotive Recycling says ABP Club’s 2025 report confirms green parts are now mainstream, with 91% of repairers using them and usage rising to 4.1% of parts volume. It urges repairers to prioritise VRA Certified suppliers to tackle quality concerns and unlock reliability, availability and sustainability gains in 2026.
Image credit: Envato Elements
Silverlake Automotive Recycling welcomes the findings of the 2025 ABP Club State of the Body Repair Industry Report, describing it as a signal that green parts usage is becoming more mainstream.
The report shows that 91% of repairers fitted green parts in 2025, an increase of 11% on last year. Three-quarters of repairers also reported that their green parts usage had risen this year, up 7% on 2024, with green parts now equating to 4.1% of total parts volume compared to 3.2% last year. This represents a significant increase and highlights the size of the opportunity for repairers and suppliers. At Silverlake, we want to see more repairers benefit from the associated commercial, efficiency and environmental gains on more of their jobs next year, and we are committed to working collaboratively to build further momentum in 2026.
Green parts move firmly into the mainstream
The report highlights a shift in the drivers behind green parts adoption. Speed of availability and the fact that some new parts are no longer manufactured remain important, both cited by 76% of repairers. But the real change is the growing influence of work providers. In 2025, 75% of repairers fitted green parts at the request of a work provider, compared to 51% last year, a leap of 24%. Work providers are also specifying green parts to avoid total loss scenarios, up 13% to 60%. Policyholder requests have risen too, with 60% asking for green parts, up 9%, and 66% requesting them to avoid total loss, up 8%. This alignment between repairers, insurers and policyholders is a powerful endorsement of the value green parts bring to the repair process. Silverlake is proud to be supporting insurers and repairers further through the provision of Carbon Savings Certificates, supporting their sustainability goals.
Quality, certification and availability still under scrutiny
Concerns remain around quality, with 36% of repairers citing poor quality, up 11% this year, 53% reporting inconsistent quality, and 41% saying too much rectification work was required, up 4%. The findings related to the VRA Certification Scheme for Green Parts provide some insight to these concerns. It is fantastic to see that awareness of the scheme has more than doubled to 69% of repairers in 2025. What is disappointing, is that 45% of repairers are not influenced by VRA Certification when sourcing their green parts, running the risk of sourcing parts without provenance records, which are of paramount importance. This also leaves them open to suppliers who do not adhere to the quality grading requirements of the scheme or the processes by which damage to parts, requiring rectification, is clearly communicated. Unsurprisingly, their product and service experience can be negatively affected. As a VRA Certified supplier of green parts we are proud to have a reputation for quality and consistency, and we are rigorous in our commitment to the scheme standards. At Silverlake, every part we sell has a clear audit trail and comes with a provenance report. We would urge repairers to only source their green parts from VRA Certified suppliers and to experience the difference first-hand.
Continued investment is taking place across the green parts market to address repairers’ issues related to poor availability of parts, rising by 9% to 42% in 2025. At Silverlake we have invested in data analytics and business intelligence tools to predict parts’ demand trends and optimise our vehicle procurement strategy, enabling us to dismantle the right parts and improve availability. We have collaborated with repairers to develop an online parts portal which integrates with their back-office estimating systems, providing real-time green parts availability and cost at the point where they are pricing their job. To support repairers further, we have introduced an automated back-order system that proactively notifies them when requested parts come into stock. Meanwhile, our guaranteed, next-day, tracked delivery through our nationwide delivery hubs, helps to reduce key-to-key times and support repairer workflow.
Commenting on the findings, Silverlake Automotive Recycling’s managing director, Allen Prebble, said:
Allen Prebble
“Our thanks go once again to the ABP Club for this valuable annual report, which gives providers of green parts a benchmark and the latest insights into repairer attitudes and service experiences. This year’s report confirms what we are seeing on the ground: green parts are no longer a marginal option; they are becoming a more mainstream solution. The fact that repairers, insurers and policyholders are increasingly aligned in their support is a turning point for the industry. The growing confidence in green parts can be directly linked to the professionalism of VRA-accredited suppliers. We are proud to play our part in driving adoption, investing in technology to improve availability, and ensuring quality through VRA Certification. The circular economy in automotive repair is accelerating, and we are committed to helping more repairers realise the benefits on more jobs in 2026 and beyond.”
Owain joined Volvo Cars in June 2021 to lead Circular Economy in the Global Sustainability Team. The company has committed to being a circular business by 2040 and has financial, recycled content and CO2 based targets for 2025, all of which Owain is working across the company to make happen. Owain previously worked for circular economy consultancy Oakdene Hollins where he advised businesses on evidence led circular economy implementation.
Turning into a circular business and the importance of vehicle reuse and recycling.
The presentation will cover the work Volvo Cars is doing to achieve 2025 but mainly focus on the transformational work towards 2040 and the business and value chain changes being considered. Attention will be paid to the way vehicles are being dealt with at the end of life and the complexities of closing material and component loops. Opportunities and challenges which Volvo Cars is facing will be presented including engagement with 3rd parties and increasing pressure from stakeholders.
e2e Total Loss Vehicle Management [e2e] is the UK’s only salvage and automotive recycling network with nationwide, environmentally compliant sites delivering performance resilience and service reliability to the insurance and fleet markets.The network’s online salvage auction www.salvagemarket.co.uk drives strong salvage resale values and faster sales.e2e’s salvage clients have access to the network’s stocks of over 5 million quality graded, warranty assured reclaimed parts.
The power of the network model means e2e has the ability to influence industry standards and is committed to continually raising the bar whilst redefining the role and perceived value of the salvage operator.Network members adhere to robust service level agreements, against which they are audited, in order to ensure performance consistency and a market leading customer experience.
The salvage and recycling operating environment is evolving rapidly, and e2e is anticipating, listening and responding to changing market needs.Regulatory compliance, ESG, reclaimed parts, customer experience, EVs, new vehicle technologies, data and reputation risk are just some of many considerations linked to the procurement of salvage services.e2e will drive further added value to clients and members through the adoption and application of emerging technologies, continuing to differentiate its proposition and position salvage services as a professional partnership.
As the conversation around AI accelerates, Conrad Caine is focused on one question: how can artificial intelligence deliver practical, measurable value in real-world industries like vehicle recycling?
Conrad is the Founder of MACHINES LIKE ME, an AI automation company that designs and deploys AI agents to transform manual operational and administrative tasks into reliable, scalable end-to-end automation. Working with organisations across sectors, he helps connect data, systems and workflows to streamline operations, reduce operating costs and improve quality, turning AI from theory into tangible business performance.
At a conference themed Auto Recycling Intelligence, Conrad’s session will address both the opportunity and the scepticism surrounding AI in the vehicle recycling sector. What is AI really? What can it genuinely automate, and what should remain firmly human-led?
He will explore practical applications for vehicle recyclers, from process optimisation and data handling to workflow automation, while making clear that AI is a support tool, not a replacement for industry expertise.
Blending philosophy with practical examples, Conrad will demystify artificial intelligence, challenge common misconceptions and show how vehicle recyclers can adopt AI confidently, improving efficiency without losing the human intelligence that drives the sector.
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As lithium batteries become a defining feature of end-of-life vehicles, Alan Colledge is helping the UK recycling sector adapt safely and at scale. As Technical Director of Lithium Battery Recycling Solutions (SUEZ), Alan leads the safe collection, handling and recycling of lithium batteries, with a particular focus on traction batteries from the automotive and wider mobility markets.
Alan is a fourth-term Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA) and has spent over 33 years in the waste industry. Since 2012, he has been at the centre of developing practical, compliant solutions for lithium battery management, work that helped establish one of the UK’s first dedicated battery workshops in 2017 and, in September 2022, one of the country’s first waste battery plants designed to recover materials via mechanical shredding and separation.
At a vehicle recycling conference, this topic is moving rapidly from “emerging” to “urgent”. Alan’s presentation explores what ATFs and recyclers need to know now: the real-world challenges of collection, transport and storage; the handling risks associated with damaged or unknown-state batteries; and the operational and commercial conditions the sector is likely to face over the next decade as EV volumes rise.
He’ll also share news of SUEZ’s latest investment in battery recycling, and what it could mean for UK capacity, downstream routes and future collaboration with ATFs.
VEHICLE RECYCLING CONFERENCE 2026
Andrew Marsh
Technical director - AutoBody Bible Ltd
The China Effect: Risk or Opportunity for Vehicle Recyclers?
With more than four decades in automotive engineering, Andrew Marsh brings rare depth and straight-talking clarity to the challenges now facing vehicle recycling. An engineering graduate since 1984, Andrew spent over 20 years inside major OEMs before moving into a second career phase with Thatcham Research.
In 2011, he founded AutoBody Bible Ltd to deliver bodyshop-focused repair intelligence, and in 2026 he begins a new business venture. A respected technical commentator, he writes for leading bodyshop publications and is a Fellow of both the IMI and the IAEA.
A regular international presenter, Andrew speaks at industry events around the world and is also a familiar voice to our audience, having previously presented at our conferences.
In this session, Andrew will examine China’s growing influence on the European automotive market and why this matters directly to Authorised Treatment Facilities. As Europe moves toward 2030, will China’s manufacturing strength reshape volumes, vehicle types and parts availability, and what could that mean for ATF profitability and compliance?
Andrew will cut through the headlines to explore how Chinese industrial policy, European regulation and high energy costs combine to impact end-of-life vehicle flows. Crucially, he will set out the potential “win or lose” implications for ATFs, from changing dismantling demand and material values to new operational pressures, emerging opportunities and the strategic steps ATFs can take to stay ahead.
Leon van der Merwe brings a senior OEM perspective to one of the most important shifts facing the vehicle recycling sector: the move towards a fully integrated circular economy. A charismatic and highly experienced automotive leader, Leon has held major executive roles across retail, aftermarket and manufacturing. From serving as Managing Director of Kwik Fit South Africa to leading product and services strategy in Europe, and later holding senior positions with First Stop and Bridgestone Europe, his career spans the breadth of the automotive value chain
Since joining Toyota Motor Europe in 2014, Leon has led After Sales before expanding his responsibilities to cover the entire Value Chain. In 2019 he moved into manufacturing as Vice President of Supply Chain, Manufacturing Support and Production Control, guiding operations through Brexit and Covid. In July 2023, he created two new strategic functions — Circular Economy and Energy Business — reinforcing Toyota’s long-term commitment to sustainability and new mobility models
For vehicle recycling, this signals a fundamental shift. OEMs are increasingly designing vehicles with reuse, remanufacture and material recovery in mind — and seeking structured collaboration with recyclers.
Leon’s session will explore how circular economy strategy is influencing vehicle design, dismantling processes, data transparency and material flows, and what this means for auto recyclers aiming to position themselves as trusted partners within an OEM-led, end-to-end value chain.
VEHICLE RECYCLING CONFERENCE 2026
HANS ERIC MELIN
Founder and Managing Director of CES Research and Consulting
Hans Eric Melin is the Founder and Managing Director of CES Research and Consulting, a London-based research and advisory firm recognised globally for its expertise in lithium-ion battery lifecycle management, with a particular focus on reuse, recycling, and end-of-life value chains. Since 2017, CES has become a primary source of data-driven insight on the rapidly evolving battery circular economy, supporting stakeholders across industry, finance, and policy.
Prior to founding CES, Hans Eric served as Vice President of Market Development at Battery Solutions, then the largest battery recycler in the United States, where he worked on scaling recycling capacity and developing downstream markets. Earlier, he was CEO of Refind Technologies, a technology company developing AI-based sorting systems for battery recycling facilities.
Through his research and advisory work, Hans Eric has been instrumental in shaping industry understanding of structural challenges and opportunities within battery circularity. His analysis has highlighted issues such as China’s central role in battery reuse, recycling, and materials refining; the global trade in used battery-conta
ining products; and the outsized influence of ownership models, consumer behaviour, and regulation on battery lifetimes, often exceeding purely technical constraints.
Hans Eric’s insights have been published in leading scientific journals, including Science and Nature, and are frequently cited by international media such as Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired. He is a regular keynote speaker and moderator at major conferences across Europe, North America, and Asia.
Hans Eric holds a BSc in Communication Studies and Business Administration from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and is based between London and Vienna.
VEHICLE RECYCLING CONFERENCE 2026
Mark Main
Director, EY LLP – UK&I Transport & Logistics Leader, Mobility Practice
As electrification reshapes the automotive sector, the financial logic behind vehicles is changing just as rapidly as the technology itself. Mark Main brings a strategic asset and valuation perspective to this transformation, helping the industry understand what electric vehicles truly cost, not just to buy and run, but to recover, repair, recycle and retire.
A Director at EY LLP in London and the firm’s UK&I Transport and Logistics Leader within its Mobility practice, Mark specialises in capital equipment valuation and asset lifecycle advisory.
With more than 20 years’ experience across automotive, fleet and leasing, he supports organisations with residual value modelling, portfolio strategy, financial reporting and total cost of ownership analysis.
In this session, Mark will explore how traditional TCO models must now incorporate end-of-life risk, battery uncertainty and disposal obligations. For Authorised Treatment Facilities, this has real implications, from the economics of EV dismantling and material recovery to the operational challenges of recovering and storing damaged electric vehicles after accidents.
He will also examine the growing need to reskill technicians to manage high-voltage systems safely, connecting financial exposure with operational readiness. The result is a clear-eyed view of how electrification is redefining asset risk, lifecycle value and long-term profitability across the vehicle recycling ecosystem.
VEHICLE RECYCLING CONFERENCE 2026
Conrad Caine
Founder - MACHINES LIKE ME
From Manual to Intelligent: Automating the Right Work
As the conversation around AI accelerates, Conrad Caine is focused on one question: how can artificial intelligence deliver practical, measurable value in real-world industries like vehicle recycling?
Conrad is the Founder of MACHINES LIKE ME, an AI automation company that designs and deploys AI agents to transform manual operational and administrative tasks into reliable, scalable end-to-end automation. Working with organisations across sectors, he helps connect data, systems and workflows to streamline operations, reduce operating costs and improve quality, turning AI from theory into tangible business performance.
At a conference themed Auto Recycling Intelligence, Conrad’s session will address both the opportunity and the scepticism surrounding AI in the vehicle recycling sector. What is AI really? What can it genuinely automate, and what should remain firmly human-led?
He will explore practical applications for vehicle recyclers, from process optimisation and data handling to workflow automation, while making clear that AI is a support tool, not a replacement for industry expertise.
Blending philosophy with practical examples, Conrad will demystify artificial intelligence, challenge common misconceptions and show how vehicle recyclers can adopt AI confidently, improving efficiency without losing the human intelligence that drives the sector.
Technical Director - Lithium Battery Recycling Solutions (a SUEZ company)
The EV Battery Challenge: Safe Handling, Market Reality and the Road Ahead
As lithium batteries become a defining feature of end-of-life vehicles, Alan Colledge is helping the UK recycling sector adapt safely and at scale. As Technical Director of Lithium Battery Recycling Solutions (SUEZ), Alan leads the safe collection, handling and recycling of lithium batteries, with a particular focus on traction batteries from the automotive and wider mobility markets.
Alan is a fourth-term Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA) and has spent over 33 years in the waste industry. Since 2012, he has been at the centre of developing practical, compliant solutions for lithium battery management, work that helped establish one of the UK’s first dedicated battery workshops in 2017 and, in September 2022, one of the country’s first waste battery plants designed to recover materials via mechanical shredding and separation.
At a vehicle recycling conference, this topic is moving rapidly from “emerging” to “urgent”. Alan’s presentation explores what ATFs and recyclers need to know now: the real-world challenges of collection, transport and storage; the handling risks associated with damaged or unknown-state batteries; and the operational and commercial conditions the sector is likely to face over the next decade as EV volumes rise.
He’ll also share news of SUEZ’s latest investment in battery recycling, and what it could mean for UK capacity, downstream routes and future collaboration with ATFs.
Mary Creagh CBE MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Coventry East and was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Nature) at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in July 2024. In this role, she leads on the circular economy, including driving waste reduction, improving resource efficiency, and developing a new, more sustainable cross-government circular economy strategy, helping to accelerate progress towards a more resilient, recycling-led economy.
VEHICLE RECYCLING CONFERENCE 2026
Put your brand at the centre of the industry’s next move
This is where the vehicle recycling sector comes to understand what’s changing and act on it.
Sponsorship gives you standout visibility with a high-value audience, before, during and after the event.
High-value audience from the vehicle recycling sector
Director - Trend Tracker, Industry Insights & Service Certainty Ltd
Repair or Total Loss? The Decisions Driving ELV Volumes
With more than two decades at the heart of the UK insurance sector, Paul Sell brings a deep understanding of how claims economics directly influence the vehicle repair and recycling markets.
Paul spent 23 years with Aviva, leading a range of commercial roles across partnerships and claims supply chain. After working closely with vehicle manufacturers, he transitioned into Claims Supply Chain, ultimately becoming Head of Supply Chain with responsibility for supplier relationships across all product lines. His experience spans procurement strategy, repair networks, cost control and operational performance, insight that is increasingly relevant to Authorised Treatment Facilities navigating insurer-led decisions.
Since leaving Aviva seven years ago, Paul has worked independently with innovative businesses, including RightIndem and Service Certainty, while providing consultancy to insurers and manufacturers through Industry Insights. He also played a key role in the acquisition and leadership of Trend Tracker, which now delivers regular market intelligence and analysis to the motor claims and repair sector.
In his session, Paul will explore the trends shaping the Motor Vehicle Repair Market, from repair-versus-write-off decisions and parts pressures to insurer behaviour and market cycles. For ATFs, these dynamics directly affect vehicle volumes, salvage values and end-of-life flows. Delegates will gain a clearer picture of where the market is heading and what it means for the future of vehicle recycling.
Mary Creagh CBE MP is the Labour Member of Parliament for Coventry East and was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Nature) at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in July 2024. In this role, she leads on the circular economy, including driving waste reduction, improving resource efficiency, and developing a new, more sustainable cross-government circular economy strategy, helping to accelerate progress towards a more resilient, recycling-led economy.
Designing for Circularity: The Manufacturer’s View of End-of-Life
Leon van der Merwe brings a senior OEM perspective to one of the most important shifts facing the vehicle recycling sector: the move towards a fully integrated circular economy. A highly experienced automotive leader, Leon has held major executive roles across retail, aftermarket and manufacturing. From serving as Managing Director of Kwik Fit South Africa to leading product and services strategy in Europe, and later holding senior positions with First Stop and Bridgestone Europe, his career spans the breadth of the automotive value chain.
Since joining Toyota Motor Europe in 2014, Leon has led After Sales before expanding his responsibilities to cover the entire Value Chain. In 2019, he moved into manufacturing as Vice President of Supply Chain, Manufacturing Support and Production Control, guiding operations through Brexit and Covid. In July 2023, he created two new strategic functions, Circular Economy and Energy Business, reinforcing Toyota’s long-term commitment to sustainability and new mobility models
For vehicle recycling, this signals a fundamental shift. OEMs are increasingly designing vehicles with reuse, remanufacture and material recovery in mind and seeking structured collaboration with recyclers.
Leon’s session will explore how circular economy strategy is influencing vehicle design, dismantling processes, data transparency and material flows, and what this means for auto recyclers aiming to position themselves as trusted partners within an OEM-led, end-to-end value chain.
Founder and Managing Director - CES Research and Consulting
From Vehicle to Value: Understanding the Battery End-of-Life Chain
Hans Eric Melin is the Founder and Managing Director of CES Research and Consulting, a London-based research and advisory firm recognised globally for its expertise in lithium-ion battery lifecycle management, with a particular focus on reuse, recycling, and end-of-life value chains. Since 2017, CES has become a primary source of data-driven insight on the rapidly evolving battery circular economy, supporting stakeholders across industry, finance, and policy.
Prior to founding CES, Hans Eric served as Vice President of Market Development at Battery Solutions, then the largest battery recycler in the United States, where he worked on scaling recycling capacity and developing downstream markets. Earlier, he was CEO of Refind Technologies, a technology company developing AI-based sorting systems for battery recycling facilities.
Through his research and advisory work, Hans Eric has been instrumental in shaping industry understanding of structural challenges and opportunities within battery circularity. His analysis has highlighted issues such as China’s central role in battery reuse, recycling, and materials refining; the global trade in used battery-containing products; and the outsized influence of ownership models, consumer behaviour, and regulation on battery lifetimes, often exceeding purely technical constraints.
Hans Eric’s insights have been published in leading scientific journals, including Science and Nature, and are frequently cited by international media such as Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired. He is a regular keynote speaker and moderator at major conferences across Europe, North America, and Asia.
Hans Eric holds a BSc in Communication Studies and Business Administration from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and is based between London and Vienna.
Director, EY LLP – UK&I Transport & Logistics Leader, Mobility Practice
Total Cost of Ownership Meets End-of-Life Reality
As electrification reshapes the automotive sector, the financial logic behind vehicles is changing just as rapidly as the technology itself. Mark Main brings a strategic asset and valuation perspective to this transformation, helping the industry understand what electric vehicles truly cost, not just to buy and run, but to recover, repair, recycle and retire.
A Director at EY LLP in London and the firm’s UK&I Transport and Logistics Leader within its Mobility practice, Mark specialises in capital equipment valuation and asset lifecycle advisory.
With more than 20 years’ experience across automotive, fleet and leasing, he supports organisations with residual value modelling, portfolio strategy, financial reporting and total cost of ownership analysis.
In this session, Mark will explore how traditional TCO models must now incorporate end-of-life risk, battery uncertainty and disposal obligations. For Authorised Treatment Facilities, this has real implications, from the economics of EV dismantling and material recovery to the operational challenges of recovering and storing damaged electric vehicles after accidents.
He will also examine the growing need to reskill technicians to manage high-voltage systems safely, connecting financial exposure with operational readiness. The result is a clear-eyed view of how electrification is redefining asset risk, lifecycle value and long-term profitability across the vehicle recycling ecosystem.
Director at Trend Tracker, Industry Insights & Service Certainty Ltd
With more than two decades at the heart of the UK insurance sector, Paul Sell brings a deep understanding of how claims economics directly influence the vehicle repair and recycling markets.
Paul spent 23 years with Aviva, leading a range of commercial roles across partnerships and claims supply chain. After working closely with vehicle manufacturers, he transitioned into Claims Supply Chain, ultimately becoming Head of Supply Chain with responsibility for supplier relationships across all product lines. His experience spans procurement strategy, repair networks, cost control and operational performance — insight that is increasingly relevant to Authorised Treatment Facilities navigating insurer-led decisions.
Since leaving Aviva seven years ago, Paul has worked independently with innovative businesses including RightIndem and Service Certainty, while providing consultancy to insurers and manufacturers through Industry Insights. He also played a key role in the acquisition and leadership of Trend Tracker, which now delivers regular market intelligence and analysis to the motor claims and repair sector.
In his session, Paul will explore the trends shaping the Motor Vehicle Repair Market — from repair-versus-write-off decisions and parts pressures to insurer behaviour and market cycles. For ATFs, these dynamics directly affect vehicle volumes, salvage values and end-of-life flows. Delegates will gain a clearer picture of where the market is heading and what it means for the future of vehicle recycling.
