Auto Windscreens has turned recycled windscreens from concept to live supply by partnering with The Green Parts Specialists, training GPS technicians to cleanly remove, grade and transport glass from ELVs, then refitting and calibrating ADAS in its own network, creating a practical, insurer-backed green glass option for hard-to-source or obsolete screens.
Shaun Atton, Business Development Director, Auto Windscreens, discusses how the company’s focus on recycled glass is the latest step in a sustainability journey that began in 2016. Since then, Auto Windscreens has achieved carbon neutrality, set a net zero target for 2045 and had science-based emissions reduction targets validated. As insurer partners and the industry increasingly considered environmental performance, glass emerged as a priority. In 2025 the business moved from talking about recycled windscreens to delivering a live proof-of-concept with The Green Parts Specialists (GPS), training its Technicians to remove glass cleanly from end-of-life vehicles for reuse as green parts.
How Auto Windscreens and GPS turned recycled windscreens from idea to reality
Our sustainability journey began in 2016, when we began to examine how we could reduce our environmental impact. This involved becoming carbon-neutral in 2018, setting a target to achieve net-zero by 2045, and being the first in our industry to have near and long-term science-based emissions-reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Our insurer partners are increasingly interested in our sustainability agenda, so we regularly host ‘glass awareness’ days. In 2024, we decided it was time to address a long-standing issue: how to cleanly remove glass from end-of-life vehicles for use as a green part.
We began talking to The Green Parts Specialists (GPS) in January 2025, and after a successful proof of concept, 11 months later, our Regional Trainers were at its Skelmersdale site, training its Technicians in the art of removing glass without damaging it.
Making “difficult” windscreens reusable: clean removal, grading and ADAS
Removing windscreens on modern cars cleanly and efficiently requires a skilled, specially trained technician who is knowledgeable about PPE and equipment, and who can safely disconnect any ADAS sensors for later calibration. With this in mind, it’s no surprise they have historically been tricky to salvage.
When a customer’s glass is obsolete, or when we’re looking for older or classic windscreens, we contact GPS to confirm the same make and model. If a match is found, Auto Windscreens-trained GPS technicians inspect and grade the glass; we can only use ‘Grade A’ examples. They then remove the glass using our tried-and-tested techniques and tooling, and GPS deliver it to our nearest service centre the next day. We then remove the old glass and install the ‘green’ glass for the customer, and calibrate any ADAS technologies at one of our sites.
One of the key myths is that ADAS causes issues when removing glass from a salvage vehicle. It doesn’t pose a problem for a properly trained technician. However, these systems must be calibrated by a specialist, like us, before the vehicle is returned to the customer. We’re working hard to educate the industry and drivers about this.
From concept to dependable supply: how shared data and aligned training turn salvage windscreens into a real-world solution
At the moment, it’s also about offering customers and insurers a different solution if they have difficulty obtaining a vehicle’s glass. GPS Technicians are trained the same way ours are, and we pride ourselves on our standards and quality. Our collaborative relationship, specifically how we’re sharing information on the fastest-moving parts, while GPS reciprocates with auction data, has been key to the partnership’s success.
From pilot to policy: how green glass is moving into mainstream insurer programmes and poised to scale across UK recyclers
Our service is being used by insurers and fleets as an alternative glass supply solution. Many insurers are now considering amending their policy wording to include green glass as an option, which is great news.
We hope to move beyond using it for difficult-to-source and obsolete glass, but there is still work to do in educating customers on the benefits of using glass from salvage vehicles. We’re committed to keeping doing this, and there’s no telling how much it could grow.
Who wins from green glass?
By being able to use a whole salvage vehicle for green parts everyone wins – us (by providing an alternative option to drivers and insurers), the customer (by getting their vehicle back on the road), the insurer (through reducing total losses and cost), recyclers (less waste) and the environment (supporting the circular economy and reducing environmental impact).
From UK pilot to global template for reclaimed windscreens
Despite the fact that we’re currently the only company with this kind of partnership, we recognise there’s a growing need in the industry for more sustainable processes. We hope others get on board, and we’d like to help recyclers spread the word about green glass. This is key to making reclaimed windscreens a more widely used option, and we’re excited to be part of what we consider a very exciting new movement.
Further Reading on ATF Professional
- Green Parts on the Up: What the 2025 State of the Industry Report Means for UK ATFs
- The Green Parts Specialists win ABP Green Parts Supplier Award 2025
- Record Total Loss Rates: A Green Opportunity for Recycled Parts and Sustainable Repair Strategies
- New partnership unlocks potential of recycled parts
