SYNETIQ, the UK’s largest salvage and vehicle recycling company, has welcomed three new additions to its IT team – a mark of its commitment to investment and innovation.
Two new Senior Developers have joined to strengthen the team’s capacity, as the business prepares for the next chapter of its capabilities.
Sean Maller is the latest addition to the .Net Team, and will focus on software improvement, ensuring SYNETIQ remains a market leader in innovation and process.
Robert Ralston is the latest addition to the AWS development team and brings his experience gained in the Fleet Management industry, making him ideally placed for the role. SYNETIQ is a leading provider of Green Parts and Mechanical Solutions to fleets across the UK; Robert’s knowledge of CRM system development will enhance client and customer experience.
Navya Areti joins as Amazon Web Services (AWS) DevOps Engineer, and will be working closely with SYNETIQ’s IT development teams. Navya’s background is in the creation of cloud infrastructure – she will help the team move projects into the cloud, reduce cost, improve reliability, and continue to plan for the future.
Dave Harcourt, IT Director at SYNETIQ, said: “Investment in our team will help us offer the best possible experience to our clients and customers. I’m excited for what’s in store over the coming months and confident we’re set up to drive our industry forward through investment and innovation.”
The UK’s largest salvage and vehicle recycling company has announced a new partnership with Stocalfe Response, a provider of accident and fleet management services.
As part of the relationship, SYNETIQ will exclusively handle salvage vehicles involved in motor claims on behalf of Stocalfe Response. This agreement will provide Stocalfe Response with unrivalled returns for its total loss vehicles.
Steve Dodson, Client Relationship & Business Development Director, said: “I’m pleased to welcome Stocalfe Response as our newest client. We’ve worked closely with their team to make sure the transition was a smooth one and I’m delighted to report that everything’s working really well.”
Stocalfe Response is based in Warrington and offers a full management service, including credit hire and intervention hire. It works with a wide range of clients and customers; handling claims on vehicles ranging from small cars to HGVs.
Students at the Bromley Beacon Academy have received a donation of motorbikes from SYNETIQ, the UK’s largest salvage and vehicle recycling company.
The academy is based in South East London, and supports young people with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs around the borough. The donated bikes will play a key role in the delivery Level 1 & 2 Motor Mechanics courses, where students can develop their practical skills and technical knowledge.
Bromley Beacon’s state of the art centre is equipped to the same standard as a professional garage, including all the relevant tools and safety equipment. Courses are designed to set students up for their working life, leading to a career in mechanics or engineering. As well as a donation of motorbikes, Bromley Beacon’s motorbike department has also received support from the Metropolitan Police service. The force’s own Motorbike Police team recently joined students at the school to share stories, vital information on keeping safe on the road, and their own experiences with motorbikes. All students reacted positively, helping to forge positive relationships between students and the Police.
SYNETIQ has announced its intention to expand its Gloucester site after sharing the news with its clients and colleagues last week.
A multi-million-pound investment is already underway that will deliver new concrete works, large-scale racking systems, more purpose-built depollution facilities, and remodelled premium breaking and parts storage facilities.
The changes will mean the closure of the long established Cinderford site by the end of September, with the migration of most of its employees, capabilities and processes transferring to the new flagship SYNETIQ site.
This announcement of SYNETIQs commitment to expansion in the South West follows shortly behind a similar strategy and show of commitment to expanding its operations in Scotland to provide national coverage for clients and customers.
Jason Cross, Client Director of SYNETIQ said:
“The investment in the expansion of our Gloucester site is exciting, driven by our aspiration to lead the industry whilst delivering an exceptional, compliant and innovative service to our clients. This move is testament to our confidence in our business and our people, who will have the chance to develop and grow within our ambitious and scalable organisation.”
As Coronavirus caused unprecedented disruption to businesses across the UK, SYNETIQ, as a DEFRA-classified key service, continued to support its key worker clients, including Insurers, Ambulance services, Police forces and supermarket delivery vehicles, providing salvage and dismantling services, green parts and Mechanical Solutions and this investment is continued evidence of that commitment.
SYNETIQ has successfully begun relocating to its new Glasgow site, marking further investment in its vehicle processing capacity.
The new Torrance premises is significantly larger than the outgoing Alexandria location and retains Julie Hubbard as Manager. The site has extensive concrete storage areas, large workshops, storage and office areas, meaning its suitable for many client services – including salvage, vehicle recycling, green parts and mechanical solutions.
The move is the next step in a strategic 5-year growth plan, where the business invests in new sites to strengthen its total UK coverage. So far this year, SYNETIQ has also opened two others – in Aldershot and in South London, the latter being the first of its kind in the industry.
SYNETIQ Torrance has plenty of space for further growth; an important consideration when choosing the site. By reinforcing its strong presence in the North, SYNETIQ can deliver the best possible experience to its clients – including Insurers, Police forces nationwide.
The business is now increasing efficiency through standardised ways of working, with the same high standards of compliance, safety, and efficiency across all its locations.
British Gas is one of the UK’s best-known companies, with a history stretching back over 200 years. Its iconic bright blue vans are a regular sight on the road, carrying thousands of Engineers between homes and businesses across the country.
The British Gas fleet is made up of around 11,400 vehicles, making it one of the largest in the country. Managing a fleet of this size comes with significant responsibilities – from environmental performance to the practicalities of vehicle downtime and cost reduction. Steve Winter, Head of Fleet at British Gas, says the business is always open to exploring new, innovative ways of working.
“We’re constantly considering new initiatives to keep our engineer’s mobile whilst doing right by our customers, employees and the environment,” says Steve. In March 2020, the business was named as Fleet of the Year at the Fleet News’ Awards, for its range of initiatives concerning vehicle downtime, driver welfare and environmental performance.
British Gas is in partnership with MyGreenFleet, a service provided by SYNETIQ, the UK’s largest salvage and vehicle recycling company. SYNETIQ prides itself on intelligent solutions and provides the compliant handling of British Gas salvage vehicles. No salvage vehicles are resold, with the shells crushed and recycled on site, ensuring they can never return to the road.
Some vehicles still contain perfectly good, non-safety-related parts – known as green parts – and these are sold back to British Gas repair partners (Hitachi and SOPP+SOPP) for re-use on its own vehicles. This simple yet incredibly effective process has helped British Gas save millions of pounds since it began in 2012.
“What surprises me is the number of fleets which aren’t considering the use of green parts,” says Steve. “The cost savings and environmental benefits are clearly visible in the data provided by SYNETIQ, and we’re happy with the service provided.”
SYNETIQ green parts are OEM, non-safety critical, quality-controlled parts, such as doors, bumpers, and lights, and are perfect for reuse on damaged repairable British Gas vehicles. Parts are often already painted and stickered to match and are delivered to British Gas accident/fleet management partners using SYNETIQ MyGreenFleet inhouse logistics, within 48 hours. This means Engineers can get back on the road more quickly, and unnecessary manufacturing of new parts is reduced.
Since 2012, SYNETIQ MyGreenFleet have supplied over 1200 doors alone, for use on British Gas vehicles – saving more than 120,000kg of CO2 against comparable new doors. Over 6500 non-safety related green parts have been supplied in total, generating a truly significant saving.
Green parts are up to 70% cheaper when compared with new, OEM parts, and act as a like for like replacement. Accurate data is available to British Gas within MyGreenFleet, providing insight on cost savings, units, and performance against agreed service level agreements – such as delivery time. Use of green parts often reduces vehicle downtime, meaning Engineers can get back on the road more quickly.
Jason Cross, Client Relationship Director at SYNETIQ, says the business is proud to be trusted by British Gas. “We like saying yes,” says Jason. “We pride ourselves on removing the barriers or problems that crop up when operating such a vast fleet.”
SYNETIQ also provides ‘waste and destock’ services, where a SYNETIQ employee can empty vans of equipment and personal belongings and securely return them, disposing of any waste.
Technical equipment used by Engineers can also be transferred from one vehicle to another in the event of it switching drivers. Ladders and scales are stored securely on SYNETIQ sites, and either returned to British Gas or transferred to another vehicle. This protects valuable equipment from theft and further reduces ‘vehicle of road’ (VOR) time.
“We’re very proud to be trusted by British Gas – it means a lot to our business,” says Jason. “I’m pleased to share that Steve recently awarded us a score of ‘10’ in our recent client satisfaction survey. We’re looking forward to working with them to provide more intelligent solutions for the future.”
The latest Insurance Tomorrow podcast is now available to listen to – featuring our Client Relationship Director, Jason Cross.
The podcast is created by Allianz UK; during each episode, an expert panel discuss major global business trends, their impacts on the insurance industry and the challenges they pose to insurance brokers.
This time, Steph McGovern speaks to Jason Cross, alongside experts from Allianz , Climate Wise and Plastic Surgeon – discussing the future of sustainable claims in the insurance industry.
Did you know, you can now order and pay for your parts online and collect them from your nearest site?
During the lockdown period, we wanted to take the opportunity to make some improvements for you. Click and collect makes it safer and easier to buy from us at the moment – but it’ll also have lots of benefits going forward.
When using click and collect, you get a quick answer on what we have in stock before you visit us. It also means less waiting time once you arrive! What’s not to like?
Live Chat & automatic Chat Bot
We’ve also launched SYNETIQ Live Chat, available through a link on our website. This is now the way to contact us if you’re looking for parts for your vehicle.
We’ve received a huge response so far – we’re carrying on improvements and training more of our colleagues, so we can answer your queries more quickly. You can use Live Chat for any type of question, whether related to auction, parts or anything else.
As of today, we’ve also switched on a Chat Bot – this aims to automatically respond to your question with a link to our new Knowledge Base. Again, this will make sure your questions get a speedy response – it’ll also be available all around the clock.
We’re hard at work, making sure you have the best experience possible when using SYNETIQ. Hope to see you soon!
Our shorter opening hours remain in place –opening hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Please remember to allow enough time for loading when planning your visit.
Remember – safety first! High vis vests must be worn on all of our sites, collection won’t be permitted without them. High vis vests are available to buy for £5.00 on our Winsford site – this is non-returnable or refundable due to COVID-19 guidelines.
If you have a query please contact us on our new Web Chat facility, which is monitored Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm. Thanks for your support, the SYNETIQ team
Team BRIT, the all-disabled racing team, have acquired their next racing car from SYNETIQ, meaning even more drivers have the chance to get behind the wheel.
The team have taken delivery of a 2019 BMW M240i, acquired through SYNETIQs market-leading salvage vehicle auction. It will be become their next academy car, providing opportunities for more disabled drivers to enter the world of motorsport.
Team BRIT launched its Racing Academy last year as an extension to its racing team. The Academy supports people with physical and psychological challenges in accessing motorsport, by offering track days and experiences at circuits across the country.
Team BRIT’s world-leading hand control technology will be fitted to the car, allowing disabled drivers to race against able-bodied competitors. This cutting-edge system includes an electronic braking system, making racing easier and safer for drivers who are unable to use their legs. It can also be removed easily if required, with a simple swap of the steering wheel.
Following delivery, the vehicle was inspected at a BMW dealership, who confirmed the engine and mechanical components are in excellent working order. Vehicles sold through SYNETIQs salvage auction have been categorised as safe for repair, following the comprehensive assessment undertaken on damaged vehicles.
Damage to the rear of the vehicle will be comprehensively repaired at BMW, before returning to Team BRIT to be converted into race specification by their own skilled mechanics. Replacement OEM parts have also been supplied by SYNETIQ where necessary.
Before the BMW is ready to race, modifications will be made to take its performance to the next level. Engine upgrades will increase power to 455bhp, reducing its 0-60 time to just 3.6 seconds. Upgraded suspension and brakes will also be installed, along with bucket seats and four-point harnesses to protect the safety of drivers.
Dave Player, Founder of Team BRIT: “Our Racing Academy has gone from strength to strength after our launch last year. We’re seeing a huge demand for these opportunities for disabled drivers, so we need to keep growing.
“Our partnership with SYNETIQ has made it possible for us to acquire this almost-new BMW M240i, which is a perfect track car for our Academy. Nowhere else in the world can a disabled person that needs hand controls experience the amazing adrenaline-fuelled rush one gets from pushing a race car around a racetrack, and this car will be the pride of our fleet. We could not have done this without the generous support of SYNETIQ.”
SYNETIQ became a main sponsor of Team BRIT in February this year, and the two organisations will continue to work together to make the most of a truly meaningful partnership.
