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.

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!

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.

This week, SYNETIQ has opened a new site in Charlton, making it the only business in its industry with a site in Central London. The new location is the second that SYNETIQ has opened in the last month, following the successful launch in Aldershot, Hampshire in late March.

Located next to the Metropolitan Police compound, the Charlton site is designed to increase SYNETIQs ability to support key workers even further – throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. SYNETIQ works with many of the UKs Police forces, handling the compliant disposal of vehicles on their behalf.

The business was recently praised for its efforts to support clients, many of which play a vital role in society. A spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police described SYNETIQ as a “business-critical operation with paramount importance to us.” Mike Carey, Deputy Head of Vehicle Recovery & Examination Services at Metropolitan Police, went on to say: “We cannot underplay the importance of SYNETIQs work and the impact this has on our operational capabilities.

Continued investment and growth have been at the top of SYNETIQs agenda since the business was born in March 2019. The new half-acre site will offer increased storage and processing capacity, and opportunities for more efficient delivery routes, strengthening SYNETIQs total UK coverage.

Richard Martin, Managing Director of SYNETIQ said: “We’re really happy with the new premises that we have negotiated. This will help us to be even more efficient and make sure we can not only exceed our client SLAs but create room for our business to continue to grow.”

Activate Group Ltd (AGL) is partnering with leading provider of vehicle salvage services, SYNETIQ Ltd, to build an even stronger supply chain and increase their combined ability to support key workers during the coronavirus outbreak.

AGL specialises in technology-led accident management services and partners with some of the best-known fleet providers and insurers to service hundreds of thousands of claims a year.

It operates a network of more than 250 body shops and its own body shop division, Activate Accident Repair, that have all responded swiftly to changes to ensure they can remain operational and provide essential services that keep corporate fleets and other key workers mobile.

Building on its existing capability, the new partnership will see SYNETIQ exclusively handle AGL’s total loss salvage, facilitating in-house logistics and compliant dismantling of all Category A and B vehicles.

The new partnership also includes a green parts pilot with AGL’s subsidiary Sopp Parts, which is already underway. Where contracts allow, the use of green parts helps reduce repair time and supports the offering of fast-track services for NHS and fleet delivery drivers.

AGL’s Director of Network and Engineering Peter McAninch said: “This is a welcome piece of good news in challenging times and we are pleased to be able to bring the benefits of this partnership to our operations today and in the future, ensuring that there is increased access to green parts wherever they are permitted to be used.

“SYNETIQ will work with Sopp Parts, our specialist parts supply division, to will increase the reach of our supply chain and help us prioritise supply to our 250-strong network or repairers, many of whom are carrying out vital works for key workers.”

Peter added: “Green parts are OEM, non-safety critical parts, such as doors, tailgates, lights, bumpers and major mechanical items such as engines and gearboxes. All are quality controlled via SYNETIQs efficient quality process.”

Peter concluded: “As well as reducing the time vehicles spend off the road, the use of green parts is also kinder to the environment, through the reduction of manufacturing, transportation and material wastage.”

Steve Dodson, Business Development and Client Relationship Director at SYNETIQ, said: “We’ve seen huge growth in the use of green parts in the vehicle repair industry, as Insurers, Bodyshops and drivers understand the many benefits; that growth is set to increase significantly. We’re looking forward to exploring the benefits of green parts with AGL during the pilot and would like to welcome the group on board.”

SYNETIQ has secured a two-year contract extension with NFU Mutual, further cementing a relationship which began in April 2017. 

NFU Mutual signed the previous three-year contract with Motorhog – one of the four businesses which merged to create SYNETIQ last year. The news is an additional reason for celebration at SYNETIQ, as the business marked a successful first year of trading last month. 

Surpassing expectations 

SYNETIQ has surpassed expectations for salvage returns and are constantly working with NFU Mutual to explore new ways to enhance the relationship and add value; great news for the insurer and it’s 900,000+ members. 

The whole salvage process is handled by SYNETIQ, from the point of vehicle uplift and transportation through to auction or dismantling. Logistics are dealt with inhouse, thanks to SYNETIQ’s dedicated team and fleet of vehicle transporters. This process not only limits insurer liability, it also goes one step further to prevent the leakage of Category A and B salvage. 

Compliant breaking 

NFU Mutual has complete peace of mind that no Category A or B salvage will ever return to the road. Such vehicles are processed within SYNETIQ’s UK sites and never auctioned. Category B salvage is dismantled, and all shells are crushed on site; Category A vehicles are also crushed on site. 

NFU Mutual have the option to no longer be involved in the recovery or processing of third-party salvage; the third party can be paid out directly by SYNETIQ once the vehicle details have been received. 

Dale Kirkton, Claims Supply Manager at NFU Mutual, said: “SYNETIQ provided NFU Mutual a seamless transition with a well thought through and supportive strategy. Their IT compliments the service offering perfectly and was intuitive for our handlers to use. The relationship has developed into a value expanding agreement from the outset.” 

During its first year of trading, SYNETIQ is proud to have retained all existing contracts. The business is now extending its new range of services to existing clients, including green parts, software solutions and vehicle registration mark data. 

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, SYNETIQ has been classed as a key worker by DEFRA. The business has adjusted accordingly, with many of its services continuing safely behind closed doors to support clients, including Police, Insurance and Fleet customers during this challenging time. 

SYNETIQ has successfully launched an online Live Chat facility – one of the first of its kind in the industry. Still at an early development stage, it has arrived just in time to help customers contact the business quickly and easily during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Private individuals and small businesses from all over the world use SYNETIQ products and services every week – purchasing from its online auction, finding matching vehicle parts, replacement wheels and tyres and much more. SYNETIQ Live Chat has transformed the way the business can communicate with these customers, particularly as Coronavirus continues to cause disruption.

The new tool has been implemented by SYNETIQs Edinburgh-based developers, although the launch wasn’t planned for some time. As the threat of COVID-19 became clear, the team adjusted priorities to get the tool up and running ahead of schedule. SYNETIQs Web Developers will now continue to refine and improve its operation further.

SYNETIQ Live Chat has been incredibly well received after its first two weeks, with over 2000 customers using the tool to get in touch with SYNETIQ teams at based across the UK.

Steve Robbins, Head of Web and AWS, said: “We recognised we could improve our online experience with live chat, and the development has been in the pipeline for some time.  The current situation meant that we have brought forward the development and launched it almost overnight.  We have many improvements planned for the online chat experience and we are working towards our goal of a unified online customer communication platform built right into all our websites.”

Adapting to a changing situation is now the agenda for many businesses, and SYNETIQ is no different. All colleagues able to work from home are now doing so – managing online activity remotely and safely. The Auction team has introduced new opening hours and has suspended vehicle viewings and storage fees until the end of the lockdown period.

SYNETIQ has been classed as a key worker by DEFRA, so many B2B services are continuing safely behind closed doors to support key Police, Insurance and Fleet customers during this challenging time.

SYNETIQ has made a significant investment to allow its software solutions to run in the Cloud which includes both Microsoft’s Azure and Amazon’s AWS. This includes core services such as its SQL Database, Web Services and File (Image) Storage and of course our on-line Auction. Moving to the cloud means SYNETIQ can utilise High Availability Features to protect itself and its clients against potential problems associated with server failure.

SYNETIQ is committed to investment in new, innovative technology. Its dedicated team of developers are always looking for new ways to increase the security and performance of systems. This approach allows SYNETIQ to provide the best value possible for clients that rely on its software solutions and its Auction.

Software outages have the potential to disrupt or even halt operations within a business, as a result SYNETIQ has opted for the Business-Critical Service for its new Azure hosted SQL databases.

Azure’s Business-Critical Service means that the database is distributed across four servers in three different London availability zones. Each availability zone is based in unique physical location and is made up of one or more datacentres equipped with independent power, cooling, and networking. Azure’s Business-Critical Service also means the hard drives (SSDs) used to store data are located close to the servers, providing ultimate performance. This insures that SYNETIQ and its clients can now enjoy improved performance and high availability, removing critical single points of failure.

Increased performance: Because the databases now run from multiple servers typically heavy tasks such as running reports now have no impact on performance of systems. We can scale up the power and size of our servers as demand requires. The Auction for example auto-scales up its servers as is required for the number of bidders and then scales back down when an auction has finished thereby keeping cists to a minimum too.

Protection: Databases are now continually backed up to separate secure locations. So, in the extremely unlikely event of all of Azure’s London data centres going offline, SYNETIQ could restore back to a point within five minutes of the outage.

Dave Harcourt, IT Director at SYNETIQ, said: “Ensuring business resilience was a key factor for us when we chose to make the significant investment in Cloud technology. Our business and our clients rely on us keeping key services at capacity.

“We are always looking for ways to push to make our systems even more safe and secure as our business continues to scale. Its key that we put security and innovation at the forefront of everything we do.”