Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Thursday, November 11, 2010

URG Advisory Group Announces New Training Tool Highlighting

URG Advisory Group Announces New Training Tool Highlighting the Benefits of Automotive Recycling
August 13, 2008 Centennial, Colorado United Recyclers Group (URG) has announced the release of a new training tool designed to promote understanding of the modern automotive recycling industry.  Prepared by the URG Advisory Group, a collection of almost 25 experts representing all aspects of automotive recycling , information providers (including parts location services and estimating software), auto insurance, and collision and repair industries, the comprehensive presentation is aimed at a number of audiences.  The PowerPoint presentation, œGreen, Lean, and Sustainable: The New Era of Automotive Recycling, is now available from URG.  It will also be distributed at the URG hospitality suite at NACE, the International Autobody Congress & Exposition, held in Las Vegas, November 5-8, 2008.
 œThe launch of this training tool is another major achievement for URG, says Michelle Alexander, URG Executive Director.  œIt fills a crucial need, and we expect it to be used extensively by recyclers as well as others in the collision and repair and insurance industries.  The automotive recycling industry is changing dramatically, and it™s important for everyone to understand who we are today.  Automotive recycling is green, it is sustainable, and it is very cost-effective.  Our quality is top notch, and the use of our original equipment (OE) recycled parts means the insurance industry, body shops and the end customer all need to know that they are getting best in class when they buy recycled.  This presentation does that, and more.
Jim Watson, owner of ABC Auto Parts (Blue Island, IL) and past president of the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) has been involved in this effort as a member of the URG Advisory Group from the start.  He says that œthe ARA is excited about this opportunity and wholly supports and endorses this presentation.  We enthusiastically encourage everyone to view it and use it.  The ARA will be using this training tool as a component in a comprehensive nationwide legislative program designed to help elected officials and others in government understand what we do in the automotive recycling industry.  He anticipates that potential audiences for the presentation will include government decision-makers ranging from mayors, city councilmen/women, aldermen/women, county commissioners, building commissioners, and more.  Within the broader community, Watson also expects that this presentation will be given to many different chambers of commerce, Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs, and other community-focused groups.
A leader in the automotive insurance industry who has been involved since the formation of the URG Advisory Group is Don Porter, CPCU, CLU, ChFC, FFSI, FLMI, auto consultant, property & casualty claims for State Farm Insurance (Bloomington, IL).  He says that œthe recycling industry has an exciting story to tell regarding the innovative advancements that have been made over the years.  Consumers today should understand that ˜best in class™ recyclers run their operations with highly trained personnel who use sophisticated models and provide top notch customer service.  Many recyclers are dedicated to ˜green™ initiatives by processing salvage in an environmentally friendly manner.  This has the added benefits of increasing the supply of alternative parts, reducing the demand for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts which in turn reduces the amount of material added to our landfills.
URG Advisory Group Announces New Training Tool      Page 2

œThis presentation will help improve the understanding and use of recycled auto parts, says Denise Caspersen, collision division manager of the Automotive Service Association (ASA) and a charter member of the URG Advisory Group.  œThis training tool is important to ASA because it will give us the ability to improve communication between our members in the repair industry with insurers and automotive recyclers.  We all share a common goal of improving the repair industry, and now we™ve got a great educational tool for everyone!
œThe damaged vehicle repair industry is on the front lines when it comes to dealing with consumers and the use of recycled auto parts, says Tim Adelmann, Executive Vice President of Business Development for ABRA Auto Body & Glass, (Minneapolis, MN) and a URG Advisory Board member.  œMost of our customers need more information about the benefits of recycled auto parts, especially the green and cost savings aspects.  This presentation will be a great tool for helping us in the repair industry have the information we need to get the message out.  With 92 repair centers operating in eleven states, ABRA Auto Body & Glass is a national damaged vehicle repair company specializing in collision repair, paintless dent removal, and auto glass repair and replacement.
œWe will directly benefit from the widespread use of this presentation, says Charles Lukens, CEO of APU Solutions (Overland Park, KS) and long-time member of the URG Advisory Group.  Over the past decade, his company has built a complex digital web linking all the collision-repair players: insurance carriers, estimating companies, repair centers, and parts suppliers of all types.  œIn this tight economy, the cost effectiveness of auto parts recycling makes more sense than ever.  Not only that, but it™s green, it™s sustainable, and it just makes good business sense.  The URG Advisory Group is in the right place at the right time with this training tool.

Consolidated recyclers are on board too, says Mary Lou Silveira, director of sales and marketing for Greenleaf Auto Recyclers  (Arlington, TX) and URG Advisory Group member.  She says œthis training tool is a great first step in bringing the recycling industry together to continue to develop the best practices and standards our industry can use to drive awareness in the collision and mechanical repair markets.  I predict it is going to be used widely.
The PowerPoint presentation is expected to be available in several formats, depending on the audience and length of time available for the presenter.  œGreen, Lean, and Sustainable: The New Era of Automotive Recycling covers the history of automotive recycling, highlights the benefits, explains the evolution of the industry, and describes a range of best in class processes.  In addition, a number of focal points for the recycling industry are explained.
œWhat we are really trying to do with this presentation is get everyone up-to-date, say URG™s Michelle Alexander.  œMost people still conjure up an image of the old-fashioned junkyard when they hear about automotive recycling.  It™s important to change that misperception, and understand that our industry is green, lean, and sustainable.  The URG Advisory Group has worked hard to produce an outstanding training tool, and we invite anyone interested to contact us for a copy.  Inquiries should be directed to Michelle Alexander, URG by phone (303-367-4391) or e-mail ( michelle@u-r-g.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).   
United Recyclers Group, LLC is a partnership of over 330 industry leading auto recyclers that work together to improve and modernize the automotive recycling industry.  Changes they have made include developing their own inventory management system, Pinnacle; creating a buying cooperative; and offering group marketing options.  For more information, go to the United Recyclers Group website at http://www.blogger.com/ or call 303-367-4391.

Team PRP First Post

June 16, 2010 - Centennial, Colorado -The United Recyclers Group has announced the launch of a new video "Using Auto Parts Saves Money On Repairs And Helps The Environment."  The video is now available for viewing by the public at the URG  website (www.u-r-g.com), and at YouTube.com (place hyperlink here).  The educational video is being released to the public as part of an effort by URG to promote the use of recycled auto parts because they are affordable, green and are the choice of smart shoppers.

"11 million cars per year are scrapped each year in the United States," says Michelle Alexander, executive director of the United Recyclers Group.  "URG wants to help the public see exactly what happens to the end-of-life vehicles, and how they are taken apart to salvage any reusable parts in order to keep America's cars on the road.  We represent one of the nation's greenest industries, and it is important for consumers to understand the important service that the auto recycling industry provides our society."

Alexander also says that the video is also being provided to URG members as an additional benefit of membership.  She says "We know that our members realize the need for ongoing education for the public about who we are and what we do.  We will be distributing this video to all of our members on DVD and will encourage them to add this video to their company websites and Facebook pages."

What the five minute video does first is set the stage for the important role that automobiles play in our society.  "American have a love affair with their cars, and not just new ones," says Alexander.  "It has been estimated that there are nearly 260 million cars still in use in this country, nearly one for every man woman and child.  Keeping this fleet on the road is an important responsibility for the nation's 6000 plus auto recyclers."