BC’s auto wreckers say they’ve come through a major sector overhaul in recent years, and what used to be an industry known for dirt and grime is now spick-and-span.
“We’re not a bunch of idiots anymore,” said Bryan Thomas, co-owner of Nanaimo’s BC Auto Wrecking. “The auto-wrecking industry out east used to have such a bad image, rough, gruff guys running it and everybody pays cash. But we can’t do that; costs are too high … it’s a business. It’s serious stuff.”
The impetus for the changeover was simple: there simply aren’t that many people that fix their own cars any more.
That means wreckers that used to rely on “you pick” business now supply parts to autobody shops that provide collision repair for the Insurance Corp. of British Columbia (ICBC).
As a result, the wreckers cater their business to shops that need reliable partsw quickly.
That means wreckers use sophisticated bidding systems to source new vehicles for their lots, and have installed computer systems to manage large inventories that dole out a variety of parts every day.
Meantime, the world has become environmentally conscious, and the provincial government has implemented new standards for wrecking yards across the province.
Ken Hendricks, a consultant for the BC Auto Recyclers (a division of the Automotive Retailers Association), believes the industry has finally matured.
“The industry has changed so much as far as its standards, even the term ‘wrecking’ is old … they prefer to use the term ‘recycler,’ which is what they really are,” Hendricks said.
These days, ICBC accounts for 80% to 90% of the average auto recycler’s business.
Now, the industry wants to convince both autobody shops and the general public that “recycled” parts are more environmentally friendly than buying brand-new vehicles.
“Their environmental standards have raised so much over the years, but the message doesn’t quite get out to the public because many see it [still] as a junkyard,” Hendricks said.
Leading the way is Ralph’s Recycled Auto Parts, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.
Based on Mitchell Island in Richmond, Ralph’s is the largest volume dismantler of insurance salvage vehicles in Western Canada and operates six locations in the Lower Mainland.
John Blenkhorn, Ralph’s IT and marketing manager, said the company was part of an industry led effort in the 1990s to become more environmentally friendly.
“We understand how sensitive the areas that we are in are … we’ve gone a long way and made some major steps to make sure we’re not doing any kind of leaking anywhere,” Blenkhorn said.
Every vehicle brought onto a Ralph’s lot is drained of all contaminants and processed before it’s placed in the yard.
That means everything from oil and transmission fluid, to batteries, tires and mercury switches are pulled out of the vehicle and recycled to avoid environmental contamination.
Ideal Auto Wrecking in Chilliwack does the same.
“There are a pretty good handful of us that are trying to upscale our image from the feet-on-the-desk, rude treatment that existed all over the place 20 to 25 years ago,” said Clint Wilson, owner of Ideal.
His company doesn’t even allow customers to walk onto the yard anymore to extract parts.
“It’s mainly to protect our inventory,” he said, recalling a customer who once busted up the front end of a Mustang to get a headlamp.
Vehicles are also far more complicated than they used to be, he said, and need specialized mechanics to dismantle them, a sentiment BC Auto Wrecking’s Thomas shared.
“There are specific dismantling procedures for hybrids, they can kill you if you unhook them wrong because they carry huge amperage,” Thomas said.
Still, Wilson said not every wrecker has turned over a new leaf.
Some still cling to the old ways, he said, but more and more B.C.’s environmental rules are forcing them out the door.
“It still has a long way to go, but the people who don’t want to get educated and don’t want to get computer savvy are just being left behind,” Wilson said.
His goal is to convince the public that recycled parts are not only easier on the environment but also on the pocketbook, and in that way keep his business relevant.
The messaging has worked somewhat, helping Ideal, Ralph’s and a handful of other wreckers stay alive while their counterparts rust.
Still, Wilson believes it’s a message that has to be maintained lest the wreckers, like other parts and repair businesses, get pushed into the junkyard themselves one day.
“Let’s face it we’re in a disposable world,” Wilson said. “You think of likewise industries that have gone to the wayside, how many appliance repair places do you know? They’re gone … cars are no different.”