For automotive recyclers looking to stand out in a crowded marketplace, that shift may create an opportunity hiding in plain sight: direct mail. 

When Everyone Leaves, Opportunity Appears 

Marketing trends often move in waves. Businesses follow what everyone else seems to be doing at the moment. Right now, most marketing attention is focused on digital channels: 

• Email campaigns 

• Social media posts 

• Online ads 

• Marketplace listings 

Those tools certainly have value. But because nearly every business is using them, they have also become extremely crowded environments. Consider the average email inbox. Many professionals receive well over a hundred messages a day. Most of them are deleted or ignored within seconds. Social media feeds are even more chaotic. Posts appear and disappear within minutes, often buried beneath hundreds of other messages competing for attention. Digital advertising faces a similar challenge. After years of exposure, consumers have learned to tune out banner ads and sponsored posts almost automatically. 

In other words, the most popular methods have become the noisiest. 

The Quiet Mailbox 

Now consider something different: the physical mailbox. Unlike the digital world, it has become relatively quiet. Most businesses dramatically reduced their direct mail campaigns as they shifted budgets toward online marketing. As a result, the number of marketing pieces arriving in a typical mailbox has declined. 

Scarcity Changes Behavior 

When something interesting appears in a mailbox today, it often receives more attention simply because there are fewer competing messages around it. A well-designed piece of mail has qualities that digital marketing cannot easily replicate. It is physical. It occupies space. It can handled, set aside, and revisited later. A shop owner may glance at a mail piece, place it on the counter, and look at it again a few days later when they have more time. That persistence creates additional opportunities for the message to register. Digital messages rarely have that advantage. An email is either read immediately or quickly disappears beneath dozens of newer messages. 

Physical Presence Matters 

Direct mail also creates a different type of interaction. Holding something in your hands is a more tangible experience than scanning text on a screen. A printed piece can feel substantial and intentional. For automotive recyclers, that physical presence can reinforce professionalism.  

A well-produced mail piece might highlight: 

• Delivery reliability 

• Warranty policies 

• VIN-matching quote capabilities 

• Quality control procedures 

• Facility photos or team introductions 

Those elements help communicate credibility and stability—qualities that repair shops value when choosing parts suppliers. 

Following Data, Not Trends 

In many industries, some companies never abandoned direct mail, even when it fell out of fashion. Their decision was simple: the numbers continued to support it. While competitors shifted all their marketing resources into digital channels, these businesses maintained a balanced approach. They evaluated response rates and continued using the methods that produced results. 

The Lesson is Important  

Marketing decisions should be guided by performance data rather than trends. Just because a marketing method is less fashionable does not mean it has become ineffective. In fact, the opposite is often true. When fewer competitors use a method, the remaining messages receive more attention. 

Standing Out in a Crowded Industry 

Automotive recycling has become increasingly competitive. Parts are listed nationally, and buyers can compare prices across multiple suppliers within seconds. That environment makes differentiation more important than ever. If every recycler is communicating through the same digital platforms, their messages can begin to blend.  

Direct Mail Offers a Way to Appear Somewhere Different  

Instead of competing for attention in a crowded inbox, your message arrives in a place where far fewer competitors are present. 

An Opportunity Worth Considering 

When people say, “Nobody does that anymore,” it may sound like a warning. In marketing, however, it can signal an advantage. If competitors abandon a marketing method, they leave behind space that someone else can occupy.  

For automotive recyclers, direct mail may not replace digital marketing. But it can complement it—creating another touchpoint that reinforces your presence with repair shops and other customers. 

Marketing methods rarely stop working simply because trends change. More often, they become more effective when fewer businesses are using them. The key question is not whether a marketing method is fashionable. It is whether it still captures attention.  

In a world overflowing with digital noise, the quiet mailbox may be one of the most overlooked opportunities available to automotive recyclers today. 

Mike French is retired after 39 years of business in the automotive recycling industry. He is an author, publisher, consultant, and speaker. Mike is the founder and executive director of the Christian Auto Recyclers and Vendors Association (CARVA) and will be at upcoming recycler trade shows and events. Mike is available to speak at your group, conference, or event. He loves to share inspirational stories that demonstrate how the Word of God actively changes lives. He can be reached at mike@carva.group. Visit www.CARVA.group and/or www.PowerPackedPromises.com. 

Assume that they want to buy your part. Let’s see how serious they are right out of the box. “IF we can find the part you are looking for that fits your needs, HOW SOON are you looking to get this done?”

Clients often hire me to work with their sales teams to improve performance and profitability and provide guidance on best practices. I have worked with hundreds of individuals and hosted many sales training classes and seminars over the 30+ years of my career as a sales manager and consultant. Through much trial and error, I have come to realize that the success of the salesperson starts with ME (and YOU) as their coach and leader. We must always look in the mirror first before we cast blame on our team for under-performance.   

With that being said, most of us in this industry have not had the benefit of formal training on “how” to coach, lead, or train our teams, and there’s a good chance that we may have been high-performing salespeople who got “promoted” into being the manager. Sound familiar? Some of us are naturally good at these things, and some of us need some help (like I did). If you are not naturally blessed with great coaching and teaching skills, I strongly suggest looking into training and coaching to help you navigate the ups and downs of leading a team as you embark on the journey of leadership/management.  

Okay, on to the meat and potatoes.  

Let’s start with the common term/name that we throw around when we call our teams “a bunch of overpaid order takers.” I have witnessed this “behavior” and have heard a million phone calls where the salesperson answered the phone, said, “yeah we got it,” and they got the sale with very minimal effort or “selling” happening on the call. The blessing in our industry is that we have a product people need and will buy it a certain percentage of the time regardless of how well we “sell” it. This has led to many bad habits and “order taking” from our salespeople. The question I ask is, “Who taught them that behavior?” 

Training!  

In general, we do a pretty decent job teaching folks how to use the tools of our trade. We spend lots of time teaching them how to navigate our YMS, the third-party bolt-on programs, and all the processes/procedures that we do in a day, so they understand “how” to physically sell a part and what to expect when they push the buttons, right? I remember my “training.” It went like this: “Here’s how you look up a part, here’s how you write an order, here’s how the phone works, now answer the phone and tell ‘em ‘WE GOT IT!’”  

Granted, 30+ years ago times were a little simpler, yet that training mentality still exists in many places today. Obviously, we need to teach folks how to work with the tools. We also need to focus on the WHY we do what we do, and how our industry truly fits into the parts supply chain. That’s where WE come in as their coach.  

How do we break the age-old thought process of ‘it's my job to answer the phone, look up parts, and give prices'? 2 major things are working against us in this mindset shift: US and Our Training. The more difficult part of the equation is that our customers expect us to look up parts and provide prices. So, not only do we need to train our salespeople to be better sales pros and qualifiers, but we also must train the customer to accept that we’re going to be more than an information desk. ‘Okay Jer, how do we do it?’ 

Understanding!  

There is a reason this business can be hard to teach and truly understand. Why? Every single part we sell is absolutely unique. We are not stamping out widgets on an assembly line. On top of that, every customer we speak with has a different NEED or circumstance surrounding the part they are asking us to supply. And then add the components of our B2B relationships. We are selling to a customer that has a customer, and we need to not only satisfy our customer’s needs, but also magically draw out what their customer may want to buy and why they want to buy it.  

This is starting to sound like a lot of work and effort … no wonder we don’t train our people on this skill. It’s hard enough to understand it ourselves! We need to spend time teaching and coaching our people on WHY our customers buy parts and the differences between Retail, Mechanics, Dealerships, Collision, Rebuilders, Exporters, etc.  

Luckily for you, I have made a million mistakes and tried a million different ways to sell auto parts, and a million ways to teach people to sell auto parts.  

I have been blessed to have worked with some great salespeople and coaches over the years who have been influential and have helped me develop a simpler way to understand and teach an improved sales process.  

Process! 

Here is how to create clarity and a process to help our order-takers become Sales–Pros. The premise of what I teach is based on gathering information to provide a solution that fits the unique need of the unique customer rather than just giving information when a customer asks for a part.  

It all starts with the WHO. If our customer does not introduce themselves at the beginning of the call, we must slow them down and ask BEFORE we get distracted by the part. “I’m sorry, I missed your name, and is this for your vehicle or do you have a shop?” SIMPLE, effective, and puts the salesperson back in the driver’s seat because WE are asking the questions.  

Then, what do they KNOW? Our customers are more informed (correctly or incorrectly) than they have ever been. The power of online searching and auto-filled estimates with prices, quality, and availability is higher than ever, and it’s NOT going to stop. The next thing our folks need to ask about is “what” the customer has found so far, and do they have any point of reference on used or new parts? They can use a conversational question like, “Great, let me get you fixed up; did you find us online today, or have you gotten any other used or new prices?” I need to know what they know. ASK and LISTEN. Now, the salesperson can plan their qualifying based on what they hear; NOT on what they assume. They need to be listening to the story: WHY the customer called and what is most important to THEM. 

Determining the DETAILS. From this point, we can address and qualify for the four main reasons folks decide what part fits THEIR needs best.  

1) The TIME/Availability 

2) The QUALITY 

3) The WARRANTY  

4) LASTLY, the PRICE. 

Time, quality, and warranty determine the price. If our folks don’t understand the customer’s wants and needs on the first three, we cannot accurately give pricing on the product. Remember, every part we have available is unique.  

Qualifying Time FIRST. I love IF questions. Assume that they want to buy your part. They called you for it; they have a problem. Let’s test the water to see how serious they are right out of the box. Ask them: “IF we can find the part you are looking for that fits your needs, HOW SOON are you looking to get this done?” OR “IF we still have the part you found online, are you ready to order it today?” OR “IF we have the part available, will you need this delivered, or would you like to pick it up at our location?” OR “IF we have what you need, how soon are you bringing the vehicle in the shop?”  

ASK AND LISTEN! The customer will likely tell you, one way or another, that they are just gathering pricing and availability (quoting only) or that they are ready and have it sold (a sale) if you can come up with the solution that fits THEIR needs.  

Present Quality as a question, not a statement. Many of our customers tell us right away what they are expecting from a quality standpoint … miles, condition, color, etc. If they come out and say what they want, ask for the sale (before pricing). “If we can get one under 120K, is your customer ready to schedule the job?” If they don’t know and want to “see what you have”, give them a “this or that” option (when available). “We have one available with 79K or one with 127K, which one sounds better to you?” OR “We have an insurance-quality door available or a nice door that needs a little repair that we can offer repair time on; which one fits your needs?” When we ask them to agree or disagree, THEY are picking what is important to them. Quality helps determine value and price.  

Assume they want extended warranty and labor protection (If you offer it).  

Start with your best warranty with a suggestive question. “You want the pricing with our two-year parts and labor coverage, right?” (It’s important to note that the salesperson should not have given any “base” pricing at this point in the conversation). I only want to talk about my base warranty IF they object to extended coverage or labor protection. When I start with the best warranty, I have lots of wiggle room to adjust the price down by taking away coverage, only if they object to the price.  

THE PRICE. Finally, we are ready to deliver what this unique part and solution is going to cost. We know WHO we are talking to, we’ve asked what they know, we’ve asked WHEN they need it, we’ve qualified for the quality they WANT to buy, and we have offered and asked to quote our best warranty solution for their NEED.  

Get Specific! 

REPEAT all the cool stuff we just talked about back to the customer, present the price, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, ASK FOR THE SALE OR OBJECTION.  

“We have the 102k engine, with the two-year part warranty and $1,500 of labor protection, delivered to your door for ONLY $2,500 plus the core, HOW DOES THAT SOUND?” They must shut up and LISTEN at this point. I want to hear, “Yeah, that sounds perfect!”  

OR “Oh, shoot, I didn’t think it would be that much.” EITHER is OK, and now I can either focus on closing the sale OR re-asking questions to overcome the objection.  

“Okay, I understand that’s a lot of money. What were you thinking?”  

OR “If that doesn’t work, what’s most important to you: the miles, the time, the warranty, or the price?” Then, LISTEN. We can now update the details to meet their needs. Sometimes they want better quality, need the part faster, or want a longer warranty.  

How can I pull the levers to make it happen? 

All these things have costs that can go UP or DOWN … be flexible and accommodating. If you didn’t hit all the needs the first time, go back and fix it, adjusting as necessary based on what they say.  

Sales is an Interview 

To sum this up, and if we want to build better sales pros, WE need to help them understand and teach them the importance of asking questions to find the proper solution for the unique problem our customer has. Building high performers requires investing significant time and effort to help them hone their skills and offering outside training opportunities when appropriate, such as when you don’t have the time or skill to provide it.   

Jer Banta is a seasoned auto parts industry leader with over three decades of experience, having progressed from an entry-level delivery driver to senior leadership and consulting roles. His career spans privately held companies and consolidators, with notable achievements including building and scaling a dismantling facility in Northeast Ohio and helping position a company for acquisition. Currently with PTC, Jer leverages deep operational expertise, KPI-driven insight, and a strong passion for people and culture to help recyclers improve performance and develop high-performing teams across North America and beyond.

By Sandy Blalock

The theme for the 2026 Midwest Automotive Recyclers Summit & Expo was “Stronger Together.” By the time we left Indianapolis, I think everyone who attended understood just how appropriate those words really were. 

Held August 13–15, the Midwest Summit brought together professional automotive recyclers, vendors, association leaders, and industry partners for three days of education, networking, business, and friendship. The event continued its regional growth this year, bringing together Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, and, for the first time, Minnesota. 

Our purpose was simple: create an opportunity for our industry to come together, share ideas, learn from one another, and build relationships that make all of us better. 

What we didn’t plan for was Mother Nature adding a few lessons of her own. 

Putting “Stronger Together” to the Test  

Neither storms nor rain could dampen our spirits, although they certainly made the Summit more memorable. 

As conditions outside intensified, we experienced a brief power outage and kept a close eye on the nearby White River, only about a half-mile from the hotel, as it crested. At one point, there were concerns that the hotel could face a more significant loss of resources, including power. Thankfully, those worst-case concerns never became reality. 

The uncertainty did lead several attendees to make the understandable decision to leave early because of concerns about being able to get out safely. Many of us remained, adjusted to the circumstances, and did what automotive recyclers tend to do particularly well: adapt and keep moving forward. 

In an unexpected way, the challenges outside brought the people inside even closer together. 

Why Showing Up Matters 

Despite everything happening around us, the purpose of the Summit never changed. 

Educational sessions gave attendees an opportunity to step away from the daily demands of their businesses and focus on issues affecting professional automotive recycling. Vendors spent meaningful time with recyclers, demonstrated products and services, and heard firsthand about the needs and challenges facing today’s facilities. 

But some of the best education at an industry event doesn’t happen during a scheduled session. 

It happens at a vendor booth when a conversation leads to an idea you can take home. It happens in the hallway when two recyclers realize they are facing the same problem. It happens over a meal, between meetings, or when someone you have known for years introduces you to someone you should have known years ago. 

Those conversations are why showing up matters. 

Our businesses may compete, but we also face many of the same challenges: changing vehicles, advancing technology, compliance responsibilities, workforce issues, customer expectations, and the constant need to operate smarter and more efficiently. 

There is tremendous value in sitting across the table from someone who understands those challenges and simply asking, “How are you handling this?” 

An Evening to Remember 

After a day filled with uncertainty, many of us stayed and toughed it out together. What followed was an evening that reminded us exactly why gatherings like this are so important. 

There was laughter, a great auction, plenty of stories, and genuine camaraderie. 

After watching the weather, the river, and even the lights throughout the day, being together that evening felt a little different. We had another shared experience—and probably a few stories that will be retold at industry events for years to come. 

That is something I have always appreciated about the automotive recycling industry. When circumstances become difficult, people step up. They check on one another, share information, find solutions, and, whenever possible, manage to find something to laugh about along the way. 

Stronger Across State Lines 

The continued growth of the Midwest Summit demonstrates what can happen when state associations look beyond borders and recognize the value of collaboration. 

With Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, and now Minnesota working together, we can create stronger educational opportunities, greater value for vendors, more networking for recyclers, and a broader exchange of ideas. 

Each association maintains its own identity and serves its own members, but many of the challenges and opportunities facing our industry are bigger than any one state. 

Working together benefits everyone. 

We Lived the Theme 

Looking back on the 2026 Midwest Automotive Recyclers Summit & Expo, I will remember the education, vendors, conversations, auction, and friendships. 

I’ll also remember the lights going out for a bit. I’ll remember watching the White River and wondering what the next few hours might bring. 

Most of all, I’ll remember that despite everything happening outside, inside there were people exchanging ideas, helping one another, talking business, laughing, and building relationships. 

In many ways, that is a pretty good reflection of our industry. 

We cannot control every challenge that comes our way. We can control how we respond—and whether we face those challenges alone or alongside people who understand them.  

This year in Indianapolis, “Stronger Together” wasn’t simply our theme. We lived it.  

This week was a wonderful reminder of things I’ve done during my lifetime. When Vince Edivan, ARA Executive Director, asked if I would be willing to be interviewed on the ARA Unscripted podcast, I was delighted to accept because it was an audio/video podcast. During the interview, I had a renewed sense of hope about my life and future, spanning 40+ years in business. 

Before it was an accepted business practice, I had already branded myself as the “Car-diologist” decades ago within the auto industry. Typically, branding oneself didn’t happen back then. Vince asked about my upbringing with siblings and my parents, classes, speeches, client base, how I moved forward in the speaking business, and how I became a certified speaking professional. The interview also included how I transitioned from industry to industry as well as to Fortune 500 companies. He asked about most of the classes that I have done, particularly Secret Recipes, where I dressed in a chef’s hat and apron and presented to attendees from various industries. We also spoke about the class and props that I’ve used when I presented, “What Hat Are You Wearing.”  

Eventually, he turned the discussion to one of my five books, Prescription for Life, Garden for Success, and my long bookmark-style business card, with a poem on the back.  

The interview went fast for me but lasted almost an hour and a half, so we covered almost all the details from my events, classes, speaking engagements, and books. 

Today, I want to leave you with my favorite words of wisdom. 

On the back of my book, Prescription for Life, which is full of my articles and published by the Recyclers Power Source Magazine, is a quote of mine that reads: 

“Watch your thoughts; they become words.” 

“Watch your words; they become actions.” 

“Watch your actions; they become your habits.” 

“Watch your habits; they become your character.” 

“Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” 

As I view my life in the rear view mirror, I’ve come to realize that this book while it was written for the auto recycling industry, it was also written as a prescription for my own life. 

Also, located on the back of my bookmark business card that I’ve handed out for decades is a printed poem written by John Hall. It’s called “A Day’s End,” and reads: 

Is anyone happier because you passed this way? 

Does anyone remember that you spoke to him today? 

The day is almost over, and its tolling time is through. 

Is there anyone to utter a kindly word of you? 

Can you say tonight, in parting with the day that’s slipping fast. 

That you helped a single brother of the many that you’ve passed? 

Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did or said? 

Does the man whose hopes were fading, now, with courage look ahead? 

Did you waste the day, or lose it? Was it well or sorely spent? 

Did you leave a trail of kindness, or a scar of discontent? 

As you close your eyes in slumber, do you think that God will say,“You have earned one more tomorrow by the work you did today?” 

As I finished recording the podcast, I heard my wife, Sheila, say that I had done a good job. It was a tiring hour and a half. Of course, Vince stirred the pot to keep me going and brought me back if I veered off track. I appreciated that I was asked for the interview because I was able to recall many memorable moments of my life.  

If you are feeling down at this point because of stuff happening in your life, don’t worry. I’ve been there too. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a personal thing or a business issue; if you have people in your life that care about you and your success, you’ll make it.  

I’ll finish off with Drink, Swear, Steal and Lie. Drink—drink from the cup of success, because you deserve it. Swear—swear that you’ll tell someone every day that you love them before you put your head back on the pillow. Then Steal—steal 15 minutes a day for self-improvement. And Lie—when you lie down tonight, thank God that you live in America where we have the freedom to do whatever is needed to keep going. 

I did that segment on a Sunday night in a Baptist Church. It went over well, but not before the Pastor took out his handkerchief and started dabbing the sweat that appeared on his forehead. It ended well, though. 

Here’s a reminder from me, D.J. Harrington. During my lifetime, I’ve tried to surround myself with positive people, and I’ve made it. If I can, you can too! It might not happen for you at the time that you want, but what really matters is how you will finish this life.  

Let’s finish the best that we can! You with me?   

D.J. Harrington is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Phone Logic, Inc., an international training company based in Atlanta, GA. He serves as a consultant and trainer to over 1,000 privately-owned businesses throughout the country, training personnel at all levels of the company, from the dispatcher to the customer service and sales staff. Please visit his website for more information at www.djsays.com. 

I know we want to sell every part, and if we could, we would have one of everything and more in stock at all times. This perception, however, is regrettably flawed. … “Do not fall in love with the box.”

“The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers may not be in my top 10 songs on my Crushing Cars Playlist, but it is pretty well known. I will go out on a limb and say it is a good song, given the grassroots of the automotive industry. Kenny’s ballad harmonizes the reasons and tactics a gambling man learns and bestows upon the narrator about the game of poker and, subsequently, life itself. However, if you really listen to the lyrics, the parallels one can draw from the principles in the song and the logistics of car crushing are uncanny. Yet what drives us to crush cars, the how and the when, is based on a few principles that every operator seeks to define within their own scale and operation. So really in this case, as the song sings, “You got to know when to hold them, know when you fold them, know when to walk away, and know when to run.”  

How do we know when it is time to crush cars and when it is not?  

For some, this is a no-brainer. When the scrap market is up, we begin to think about crushing; when it is down, we “walk away” or deprioritize this side of the business. When prices are really up, we begin to “run,” crushing above previous numbers so that we are capitalizing on this favorable market swing. These scenarios are major drivers that influence when to crush. However, there is more to the decision besides Net Ton Price that determines our crushing endeavors. Depending on who you sell your crushed cars to, this commodity is usually quite a liquid asset. We send out flats, and we are usually paid for the load within two weeks at most; sometimes the same or next day.  

Barring any deductions, freight, fuel surcharge, or environmental or handling fees, what you send out is what you are paid for. Unless you are in noncompliance, loads are accepted, and we are onto the next load. This transaction is unlike our ROE™ quality used parts sales, where there is always the risk of return, warranty, or a buyer changing their mind. These benefits alone of crushing cars for some operations are enough to fast-track this process right to the top of our priorities list. If you need quick capital, this is an excellent revenue stream to tap into. So what else motivates us to send out servings of these proverbial pancakes? 

How many operations out there have unlimited space or have operations that are so efficient in the life cycle of their end-of-life vehicles that the demand for parts exceeds the demand for continuous reinvestment? I know we want to sell every part, and if we could, we would have one of everything and more in stock at all times. This perception, however, is regrettably flawed. As Profit Team Consultant Rob Rainwater has continued to impress on the industry, “Do not fall in love with the box.”  

Every open space for an inventoried vehicle in your yard or spot on your shelf or rack for an inventoried part is rented real estate. This space is valuable, and the longer we rent it out instead of selling and replacing it in the prompt and proper time frame, the more money it costs us. Vehicle and parts turnover is crucial to keeping our inventory up to date, preserved, and relevant. We are not running museums; we are facilitators that gate keep where and when our parts, cores, and vehicles go. To prevent overcrowding or compromising our inventory, storage, and operations, it is essential to maintain a crushing schedule that supports your logistics and your bottom line. 

So as we navigate ‘when to hold ‘em and when to flatten ‘em,’ what does the prep and process look like for crushing? Before we can answer that, I think it is important to ask a few qualifying questions and understand some common limitations. First, do you own your own crusher?  

If you do, well then, hypothetically, you are the decider of your own fate. If you do not, then who do you contact to crush? How long before Crusher Bob shows up, and what goes into the preparation of the crusher’s arrival and into the ramifications of its aftermath?  

And to the big question, what is the total cost to source the actual crushing job?  

These are moving and variable factors that play significant roles in when and how you crush. When this process has to be sourced out, the importance of preparation, planning, and time management is essential to cashing in on market swings and accomplishing the independent goals we all may have. When the control is within your walls, there are fewer variables and the process can be quicker and potentially more proficient. This further allows you to decide how to implement and what you want to get out of your crushing program. 

When we determine that the time is right to get a load together to crush, what goes into the culling of the vehicles destined for the press? We all do the same thing, just differently. So these parameters that influence your decision may not have a one-size-fits-all directive. Maybe you have space for a designated “crush area” where you can move vehicles to. Perhaps you make a spot when it is time to crush. Either way, the best practice is to continue to keep this holding, storing, and crushing area or areas as clean as possible.  

Embrace the CAR Certification and embody it through these environmentally compliant and safe practices. Ones that will put money in your pockets as well. But we will touch on that in a little bit. The key here is optimizing your space so that workflow and operations are not hindered or unhinged through this process. The life cycle wheel needs to keep turning, and that is in all aspects of our operations.  

So the next big question to be asked is what vehicles are you crushing?  

Do you follow the reports and see what vehicles have done what, for revenue in the first 30 days, 1-3, 3-6, and 6-9 months? Are you simply pulling the oldest from inventory, or is it a hybrid mix? If you have ever loaded a trailer of flats, it is not as simple as pulling out 15-24 vehicles, crushing them, and expecting them all to fit on the trailer. Especially the way in which you might have envisioned they would. There is a science to this; it is adult Tetris, and when done right, it is an art form.  

The sight of a full trailer with 20-plus crushed vehicles on it, right to the top and jammed full, is a great feeling. Maybe not as nice as seeing the check for it when the market is high, but still a success. However, unless you are buying from the same flats buyer or hauling your own flats, we are still subject to different trailer sizes and dimensions. Not to mention different haulers are rated for different weights and may only take what they are willing to take. So sometimes we crush X amount of vehicles yet only send out what they are willing to take.  

That means we have to sit on material, and unless the market is rising (which lately is not the case), then this may not to be the most beneficial leftover material to be sitting on. 

You have condemned the vehicles destined to become pancakes and have pulled them aside, so now what?  

Are these vehicles dismantled during your process period, meaning you are harvesting viable and valuable parts to be stored and coring out the commodities at the intake time? Or are you sending help out there to penny-pinch the rest of the vehicle? What I mean by this is: are you spending time prepping the vehicle before it is crushed, or have you made this step a part of your earlier process in the vehicle’s life cycle within your operations? A lot of these questions you have to ask yourself to see if the juice is worth the squeeze. Do you have room on your shelves to save parts from these vehicles? 

In contrast, if they have not sold by now, why is that, and why would we continue to hold on to it? Do you have the workforce to employ a team member or crew to strip these vehicles of any commodities you want to be paid separately for? Are you pulling the drivetrain before they are flattened or leaving it for weight? And do the extra cores and metal not add up to the time and money you would have to spend to get them off? There is no way to count cards on this one; wherever you see your resources optimized and your time best spent is how you should proceed. Yet keep in mind, there are additional revenue streams if you adjust your expectations and operations depending on whether that is the hand you want to play. 

Throughout the industry, recyclers are constantly looking for new and additional revenue streams. Penny-pinching vehicles is a realistic avenue to generate previously missed revenue from your vehicles. Clean raw material copper is averaging over $6.25 a pound. Supply constraints and increased demand have the scrap copper market on the rise. Bottom line, it would be wise to start harvesting wire from your crushed vehicles before they are flat. Piling harnesses and cables in a Gaylord box adds up quickly, and there are no worries about it coming back. Same with alloy wheels. You may be leaving steel wheels on the vehicle, but when core alloy wheels have an average value of $20 per, generally speaking, then it should be a no-brainer to pull these off.  

If you use the vehicle as storage or the car is partially dismantled, it may be smart to grab what is off in the car or easy to harvest. Core accessories like Alternators, Starters, A/C compressors, etc. add up whether they are good enough to be rebuilt or scrap. Same goes for loose or easy-to-access #1 steel or aluminum, such as axle shafts, drive shafts, aluminum intake manifolds, and rebars. It is up to you to decide how to leverage what is left of these crush cars. As Rogers sings, “The secret to survivin’ is knowing what to throw away and knowin’ what to keep.” 

Lastly, there are a few more ways to add value to your crush cars.  

One of those is tires. Certain buyers will take four or five tires in total on and inside each of these vehicles. You can choose to capitalize on this by strategically placing the accepted amount in each vehicle and saving the expense of paying to get rid of them. If time allows, steel wheels are #1 steel that can be cashed in or made into stands for your inventoried vehicles. You can take those off and separate them accordingly, and place the tires back into the vehicle. Another idea is to start thinking again about the auto shredder residue (ASR).  

At some point in the near future, our industry in the United States will transition to do more automotive plastics recycling. California Bill SB811 looks to tighten regulations on the shredder and, subsequently, the crushing processes by appointing the DTSC (Department of Toxic Substances Control) as the head regulatory party.  

Currently, ASR is not considered hazardous waste, and given this classification, recyclers can leverage this until automotive plastics recycling logistics and infrastructure are mapped. This has the potential for us to use crushed vehicles as stuffers. You can open the roof on a vehicle as a tin can top, or however you see fit to prep it and proceed to clean your yard of loose and scrap automotive parts and debris. Just be aware of what you can and cannot put in a crushed vehicle, and always make sure that fluids, vehicle batteries (especially all high-voltage batteries), and any hazardous materials are removed during your prep process.  

Crushing cars is an integral part of what we do as auto recyclers.  

Optimizing this process is just as important as inventorying, depolluting, and dismantling the vehicle. We want to make sure we are compliant and implementing environmentally friendly processes, but also cost- and time-efficient in our pursuit to squeeze the remaining profit from these end-of-life vehicles. More than ever, we are focused on margins. Making a plan and getting the most out of your flats before transport is a sure bet to make up for some of our losses or returns. By optimizing transport logistics and strategically timing commodity cycles to secure peak pricing, you can minimize overhead while maximizing the yield on the final stage of your end-of-life vehicles. The direct result of this coordinated approach is a highly efficient operation and a healthier bottom line.  

With the right mix of time, yard space, and resources, you can strategically leverage your surplus inventory for maximum downstream profit. For some, it makes sense from time to time to sit on material, like stockpiling catalytic converters, to store flats or have leftover crusher bait on hand and then cash in when the commodity market peaks. For others, the immediate liquidity of crushing is the smarter play, securing the near-term cash flow needed for reinvestment.  

Whichever path you choose, your crushing program is a critical spoke in the operational wheel; it requires consistent management to keep the entire business rolling. While your logistical goals will always be unique to your yard, there are universal principles that can make any crushing program more efficient and profitable. Don’t hesitate to connect with fellow recyclers, ARA members, and staff to trade best management practices or exchange advice on how to maintain compliance and keep evolving.  

So make a game plan and a good playlist and make it happen! Whether he’s on that playlist or not, as you now know, Kenny Rogers will tell ya, “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, and know when to fold ’em,” and in our business, mastering how and when to flatten them is how you play a winning hand.  

Brian Bachand is a second generation auto recycler, who helps own and operate Westover Auto Salvage in Belchertown, MA. He is on the Board of Directors for the Auto Recyclers Association of MA and a proud ARA Member. Brian has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and paired with almost 25 years of auto recycling experience, will continue to implement ARA Advocacy for being a leader in the auto industry.