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Excellence in ARA Green Recycled Parts® E
xcellence is becoming the signature brand requirement of our industry. To meet and rise above the challenges
highlighted in this issue, as a whole, auto- motive recyclers must commit to compete on this level, and stop tolerating anything below this standard. To further efforts to uphold excellence in all our branding for
the industry, a new ARA Board-approved requirement is that all GRP members now must also be CAR certified. Many aspects of ARA’s GRP program go hand-in-hand with the Association’s long- standing Certified Automotive Recycler (CAR) program, which promotes a set of standards for general business practices as well as environmental and safety issues, and provides guidance for member facilities on how to adhere to these standards. ARA leadership believes that participation in both the GRP and
CAR programs provides members with the quality and marketing tools necessary to promote your businesses to the next level. To align participation requirements with those of our Canadian
partners in the program, ARA will now require enrollment in the CAR program as a condition for participation in the GRP market- ing program. Current GRP members who are not already enrolled in the CAR program have until June 30th of this year to complete the first stage of the CAR application (filling out the first two pages of demographic and licensure/permit information of the applica- tion) and until October 1st to submit a professional audit. Your colleagues who are currently enrolled in both the GRP and
CAR Programs urge you to become CAR certified for the following reasons: • To communicate to the marketplace that you are selling qual- ity parts that have been recovered, stored and packaged/ shipped using accepted environmental and safety protocols;
• To help include your inventory in insurance estimating plat- forms;
• To be eligible for a reduced ARAUniversity Subscription for safety courses; and
• To be eligible to become a member of ARA’s Gold Seal pro- gram and let your clients know that you value customer satis- faction through improved customer service.
Just last year, the CAR application was updated and is now
based on an easy to use point system under which a facility will be evaluated using a point value for each familiar CAR standard. To be considered for membership in CAR you must score a 70% or above on your audit. Log onto ARA’s website and go to the CAR page for copies of both the audit and guidance manual. ARA staff is ready to assist you in the coming months to meet
these new requirements and enjoy the full benefits of both the GRP and CAR Programs. If you have questions, please send an email to ARA staff at
betsy@a-r-a.org or
kelly@a-r-a.org. – Michael E. Wilson, ARA CEO
Shannon Nordstrom, CAR Committee Chair 44 Automotive Recycling | March-April 2015
ARA’s Response
On September 14, 2014, the ARA sent a letter to Louisiana Attorney General James D. “Buddy” Caldwell responding to mischaracterizations and disparaging statements made about recycled auto- motive parts.
In public comments related to a recent lawsuit filed by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office against State Farm Insurance for allegedly steering consumers to direct repair providers who must comply with insurer requirements for replacement parts, Attorney General Caldwell is quoted as saying: “In some cases, we’ve found that these parts are nothing more than used junk yard parts.” The Attorney General’s statement leads consumers to believe that salvaged/recycled automotive parts are unsafe and inferior to new original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts. Recycled genuine origi- nal OEM parts meet OEM requirements. They are OEM parts, designed by the OEM, and built to meet the OEM requirements for fit, finish, durability, reli- ability and safety. Attorney General Caldwell’s mis- characterization of recycled automotive parts does a disservice to consumers in Louisiana by seeking to limit their access to safe, affordable and environmen- tally friendly automobile repairs. Wilson pointed out that the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals recently affirmed the use of sal- vage/recycled OEM crash parts in vehicle repairs. The Court also found that neither the West Virginia Automotive Crash Parts Act not Consumer Credit and Protection Act statute prohibited body shops or insurers from utilizing these parts, that aftermarket crash parts and salvage/recycled OEM crash parts are “diametrically” different products and not inter- changeable, and, moreover, applauded the insurers for using measures to reduce premium costs for their customers. “The West Virginia ruling is a significant step for- ward for the professional automotive recycling indus- try and the increased utilization of genuine, recycled OEM parts,” said Wilson. “Regrettably, not all state attorneys general have done their homework and educated themselves about our industry and the crit- ical role that recycled OEM automotive parts play in the market.”
Oh Louisiana Coverage of ARA’s recent letter responding to the
Louisiana Attorney General’s disparaging remarks about recycled auto parts continues to grow. Collision Repair magazine published, “Automotive Recyclers are Not Junkyards” that also included quotes from
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