ATF Professional and Auto Recycling World are platforms that provide news and information to the UK and global vehicle recycling community. Encompassing all aspects of the life of a vehicle from cradle to grave, it promotes the importance of auto recycling, highlighting the many aspects and challenges faced by individuals and companies within its community and the solutions that provide a sustainable service in the 21st century.
Over the years, both ATF Professional and Auto Recycling World have brought those with an interest in vehicle recycling together by organising several conferences and webinars both in the UK and throughout the world.
ATF Professional is produced by ARW-Group LTD, which is registered in England and Wales with Company Number 14914439
The views and opinions expressed on ATF Professional are solely those of the original authors and other contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the editor, publisher or staff of ATF Professional.
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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.
U-Pull-It is a unique, self-service, used vehicle parts and car breaker company offering thousands of vehicles and providing exceptional value for money on genuine car parts. The company was formed in 2008 and has sites in York and Inverkeithing, Scotland holding thousands of vehicles.
Run by parts experts, U-Pull-It has thousands of used car parts available as the vehicle stock is refreshed daily. This gives customers a great choice of a wide range of green parts such as engines, wheels, brakes and body parts, all at great prices.
Whether you are a professional breaker, a mechanic or simply a car enthusiast, our extensive inventory across our two breakers yards offers the opportunity to source genuine car parts at low prices.
Lithium Battery Recycling Solutions is a division of Cawleys Recycling and Waste Management. We have established a full-service solution for all your lithium battery recycling needs with our own state-of-the-art lithium battery recycling workshop and storage facility, we are equipped to take care of your expired lithium batteries whilst making a positive impact on the environment.
Adam Hewitt Ltd is a Kidderminster based company that specializes in the recovery and sale of Motor and Agricultural Salvage across the UK with roots in the industry spreading back almost 70 years, building relationships with some of the leading insurance companies in the UK.
Recycling Lives is a recycling company grown around its belief in social and environmental sustainability.
As the UK’s largest car processor recycling 180,000+ cars, generating c.600,000 tonnes of high quality green steel a year, our end-to-end integrated processes ensure high material recovery rates and optimal efficiencies. Our commercial success supports sustainable communities and innovation for positive environmental impact, because we believe people, the planet and profit should all go hand in hand.
Recycling Lives is a recycling company grown around its belief in social and environmental sustainability.
As the UK’s largest car processor recycling 180,000+ cars, generating c.600,000 tonnes of high quality green steel a year, our end-to-end integrated processes ensure high material recovery rates and optimal efficiencies. Our commercial success supports sustainable communities and innovation for positive environmental impact, because we believe people, the planet and profit should all go hand in hand.
SYNETIQ, an IAA company, is one the UK’s leading integrated salvage, dismantling and vehicle recycling companies formed to become the most sustainable, innovative and trusted business in the industry.
SYNETIQ provides sustainable motoring solutions, working with clients and customers to maximise the environmental and financial potential of each vehicle as part of a successful Circular Economy model.
SYNETIQ effectively utilises the waste hierarchy, underscored by a central ethos of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Remanufacture and Recycle’.
SYNETIQ is proud to have major household names in its portfolio, including insurers, accident management companies, fleets, police forces, logistics companies, vehicle repair bodyshops, and remanufacturers.
Eladene Systems is a software company that develops inventory management software for the salvage and recycling industry. Its software is designed to be fast, efficient, and powerful, and it offers a fresh approach to the salvage inventory software market. The company’s software is used by some of the UK’s leading recyclers, and it has been praised for its ease of use, its powerful search capabilities, and its ability to integrate with online marketplaces.
Founded in Germany in 1979, OHRA Regalanlagen GmbH quickly became a leading provider of high-quality storage systems thanks to its innovative cantilever racks. Today, OHRA‘s cantilever racking solutions are used in a variety of industries throughout Europe, and their vehicle-specific racking systems and warehouse storage solutions for car recyclers provide a safe and efficient storage solution that maximizes space and accessibility.
They say it takes 10 years to become an overnight success, well, if that is the case,
Salvage Wire must be very close to that.
Started in 2013 as a consultancy service for the vehicle recycling and dismantling
industry, the company identified an opportunity in the electric and hybrid vehicle market
by introducing high-voltage training specifically for vehicle dismantlers. This developed
over the years, and accreditation now includes City and Guilds, the Institute of the Motor
Industry, the Chartered Institute of Waste Management, and TUV Rheinland. Clients
across the world include universities and research & development companies looking at
new electric vehicle technology, recyclers and dismantlers working on vehicles and
components, and everyone else in between – mechanical repairs, collision repair, and
many more. New products continue to come, with new training for vehicle dismantlers
and Salvage Insight to help companies bring ideas to life.
The Complete Auto Recycling Show is Europe’s leading event dedicated to end of life vehicle recycling. Save the date 21-22 May 2025 at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry and connect with more that 1,500 industry professionals.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
