Organized by the Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association, the annual event combines education sessions, industry meetings, networking and a trade show featuring about 50 booths serving the automotive recycling sector.
Programming opens Thursday, March 26 with an open house tour at Carcone’s Auto Recycling, followed by the Auto Recycling Roundtable and the Recycled Auto Part-Y evening networking reception.
Friday begins with the OARA annual member meeting and industry presentations. The trade show runs from 1:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with no concurrent seminars to allow full participation on the show floor. A passport promotion encourages booth visits. The day concludes with a reception, live auction and scholarship fundraiser.
Saturday sessions continue through mid-afternoon with presentations focused on operational performance, technology and regulatory issues affecting recyclers.
Industry consultant Jer Banta of Profit Team Consulting headlines the program. Banta began his career in 1993 as a delivery driver at Grand Central Auto Parts and later held sales and leadership roles at Greenleaf Auto Parts before helping develop a new dismantling facility for Bessler Auto Parts in northeast Ohio.
“I was fortunate to transform a business from barely breaking even at a fairly high volume to implementing systems to execute a growth strategy that changed the way we operated,” Banta says. “This allowed us to not just add volume but to actually make money and ultimately set us up for a very profitable exit sale.”
Banta will deliver the keynote industry address Friday from 1:00 to 1:50 p.m., focusing on leadership, systems and strategic growth.
“Here are the questions I will help you answer about your business: Are you stuck wearing all the hats, and NOT getting anything done? Do you have the right people in the right seats and where is your main focus? Is your vision clear, and more importantly, do your people know and understand it?” Banta says.
He says the session will provide practical guidance recyclers can apply immediately.
“Leave with practical tips and daily and weekly practices for success,” Banta says.
Banta will lead two additional sessions Saturday.
The first, from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m., focuses on sales training, including qualifying customers, overcoming objections and closing more sales.
The second, from 2:00 to 2:45 p.m., examines how recyclers can generate revenue through production by strengthening purchasing and dismantling operations.
The trade show features companies across the recycling supply chain, including Accurate Converter, Auto PARTnered Solutions, Buddy Automotive Innovations, Brandt Tractors, Call2Recycle Canada, Canadian Association of Recycling Industries, Canadian Recyclers Health Benefits, Car-Part.com, Cardinal Couriers, CCC Intelligent Solutions, Commercial Forms Recycler Supply, Copart Canada, Cowan Insurance Group, Crush Software Solutions, Cyclic Materials, D.G. Bevan Insurance Brokers, DTI Powertrain, eBay Motors Canada, ELC Solutions, ELV Select, EZ-Suite, Freightcom, IAA, Monidex Distribution, PMR Inc., Power-DB, Progi Group, Solera, Team PRP, TempAlert by PoweredEV, TrakMotive, Triple M Metals, United Recyclers Group, Unitrans, VINMatchPRO, Wholesale Auto Parts Warehouses and Workplace Safety & Prevention Services.
Platinum sponsors include Auto PARTnered Solutions, Crush Software Solutions, eBay Motors Canada, IAA, Progi Group, Team PRP and Wholesale Auto Parts Warehouses.
Gold sponsors include Call2Recycle Canada, Copart Canada, Cyclic Materials, ELV Select, Intact Insurance, Larush Business Solutions, Monidex Distribution, PMR Inc., Triple M Metals, United Recyclers Group and Unitrans.
Silver sponsors include Car-Part.com, Cardinal Couriers, ELC Solutions and EZ-Suite.
Bronze sponsors include All Ontario Recycling, Automotive Recyclers Association, International Automotive Consultants, ScrapCATapp, Scrap Metal Auction Sales Hub, TempAlert and VINMatchPRO.
The convention serves as Canada’s primary networking and business development event for automotive recyclers, focusing on operations, technology and the growing role of recycled parts in the automotive repair ecosystem.
