West Yorkshire Police’s brand-new Crime Scene Investigation training facility has received a donation of two vehicles from SYNETIQ.
The relationship between West Yorkshire
Police and SYNETIQ is well established; the dismantling and recycling business
already ensures the compliant processing of the Police’s salvage and end of
life vehicles.
The
new training facility is based at Wetherby Police Station and will be used for
practicing and skills development by Crime Scene Investigators. Vehicles used
in crimes can contain key clues, such as fingerprints, hairs or other physical
evidence. Regular training is key for all CSI teams, as the job they do can
make a huge difference to the outcome of a case.
SYNETIQ donated two undamaged vehicles, a Volkswagen Golf and Polo. The cars were drained of fuel and batteries disconnected before being delivered free of charge. The vehicles will be exchanged once West Yorkshire Police have completed the training.
Anna Reade,
Client Relationship Manager at SYNETIQ, is now qualified as a Certified GDPR
Practitioner.
Anna completed a
five-day course, which covered the knowledge and skills to implement, and
maintain, an effective compliance programme under the GDPR. Anna’s achievement
means SYNETIQ now has two qualified practitioners within the team. Kris Scott,
IT Security Manager, qualified last year and is also a Certified Data
Protection Officer. It’s clear that SYNETIQ is going above and beyond to achieve
unparalleled compliance within the salvage and vehicle recycling industry.
Compliance is a
pillar of SYNETIQ’s operations; processes have been implemented to wipe
personal data from all vehicles the business handles. Sat nav systems are wiped
and any personal items are collected and securely returned to the policy
holder.
Microsoft Secure score success
SYNETIQ also
celebrating an excellent Microsoft Secure score result – another example of its
efforts to remain the most compliant business in the industry.
Microsoft Secure Score is a measurement of a business’ security posture; the higher the number, the more measures have been taken to protect the business from threats. The assessment is continuous and SYNETIQ’s inhouse IT and web development team will ensure it carries on improving.
ISO audit success
Two SYNETIQ sites have also just completed
successful ISO audits to renew the long-held accreditations – a timely
demonstration of the compliant results in all areas of the business. Following PAS99,
the SYNETIQ team developed an integrated management system to provide more
efficient ways of working. By using one framework to manage all certified
systems, SYNETIQ is now reducing unnecessary duplication and costs.
SYNETIQ’s Doncaster Head Office was awarded ISO
27001, 14001 and 9001 accreditation’s and Cinderford achieved ISO 14001.
For Imogen Anderson, National
Apprenticeship Week is an opportunity to reflect on a qualification that’s
boosted her career.
Imogen is based at
SYNETIQ’s Edinburgh office and was recruited as a Modern Apprentice in 2016.
Through QA Apprenticeships, a provider of IT and Business courses, Imogen found
and secured the role of Apprentice Web Developer.
Hands-on experience is an
integral part of many apprenticeships; in Imogen’s case she was able to learn
from experienced colleagues and develop the core skills necessary to pass her
exams. Specific two-week courses were also available, each covering a specific
subject, such as HTML.
In her first year, Imogen
completed an SQA Diploma for IT and Telecommunication Professionals, achieving
an SCQF Level 6 qualification. After successfully achieving her Level 8 in year
two, Imogen was promoted to a Junior Web Developer role.
Steve Robbins, Head of Web & AWS at SYNETIQ, said: “Since Imogen joined us, we’ve reflected on ourselves with a different perspective. She has brought ideas from outside the bubble and gives us a fresher take on things.”
For Connor Moore, the
apprenticeship journey is just beginning. He joined SYNETIQ’s Doncaster team in
September 2019, beginning a Stores Apprentice role directly from school through
training provider GTA. Like Imogen’s course, Connor’s lasts for 2 years – once
completed, he’ll secure a Level 2 Diploma in Vehicle Parts Operations.
Connor said: “I’m really enjoying my apprenticeship so far. I get on well with everyone here and am learning loads about different vehicles and parts. Being able to earn while I learn is great too.”
Day to day, Connor is
learning about selecting, storing and issuing parts, providing great experience
for customers and managing the payment and IT systems, attending college every
other week. He’s also gaining experience with SYNETIQ’s dismantling team too,
broadening his range of skills even further.
For Imogen and Connor,
apprenticeships have been a fantastic choice at the beginning of their careers.
By recruiting two keen young apprentices to bring new skills and resources to
the team, SYNETIQ has made a great choice too.
As a business with a pay
bill over £3 million, SYNETIQ pays the Apprenticeship Levy; a fund that can be
used to pay apprenticeship wages and training providers. SYNETIQ is now looking
at ways to maximise the levy for its existing workforce and potential new
employees.
SYNETIQ has announced a
seven-figure investment in its fleet of vehicle transporters.
The brand-new transporters
have been purpose built by Belle Trailers and are equipped with
state-of-the-art technology, designed to give SYNETIQ’s drivers greater visibility
of other road users. Each is powered by a DAF CF340 FAR tractor unit, with Euro
6-compliant engines which also comply with Central London’s Ultra Low Emission
Zone.
The investment marks a
significant expansion in SYNETIQ’s recovery capabilities, with the total number
of vehicle transporters on the road now well in excess of 100. It also means a
total of 25 new trucks have been brought into service since March 2019,
including 20 DAF & Volvo car carriers, 2 van carriers and 3 Iveco Tilt
& Slide trucks.
SYNETIQ’s Logistics team
has worked closely with Belle Trailers to design bespoke transporters around
the business’s requirements. Beginning with a basic ‘Salvage’ specification,
the bodies have been modified to make each job safer and easier for drivers, customers
and other road users.
The trucks fully comply
with the Driver Vision Scheme; new legislation which comes into force on 26th
October 2020. DVS rules will apply on all roads in Greater London and is
designed to protect road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and
motorcyclists.
Four-way cameras have been
installed to cover drivers’ blind spots, with additional sensors providing an
additional warning. Large, fluorescent warning signs are also fitted to blind
spot areas to warn other road users. SYNETIQ has also scheduled upgrades to
equip its existing fleet with the same accident prevention technology. This will
mean SYNETIQ is well ahead of legislation, some months before it comes into
force.
SYNETIQ has invested
heavily in its Logistics function over the last few months. In October, it
appointed James Brown in the new role of Head of Transport. Since joining,
James has developed many new processes and improvements; the team are currently
developing a centralised function to align SYNETIQ sites across the country.
Further investments and improvements are planned, with more announcements
expected later this year.
SYNETIQ are delighted to
support Lydney Swimming Club – a club local to their Cinderford site.
The company were approached
by one of their team members as his daughter was a keen swimmer… and a member
of Lydney Swimming Club. The partnership was a fantastic opportunity for SYNETIQ
to support both their people and their local community in one.
Lydney Swimming Club were
actively seeking support as the club is solely managed by volunteers who rely on
donations from parents in order to fund travel, equipment, training and
swimming kit costs.
One of the clubs volunteers
said: “Massive thanks to SYNETIQ for their generous sponsorship. This has
enabled us to provide t-shirts for our members and coaches.”
SYNETIQ was proud to host a training day
for the British Automobile Racing Club North West Rescue team on Sunday.
BARC NW Rescue is a technical rescue unit
which supports major racing events, including Formula 1, British Touring Car
Championship and a wealth of BARC events throughout the season. SYNETIQ donated
vehicles and organised a staged collision, on site at SYNETIQ Winsford.
The day was an opportunity for the team to
practice rapid extraction methods. To make the training seem even more
realistic, each exercise was done against the clock…
It’s vital that BARC NW Rescue has
regular practice, to perfect methods and tool skills, and ensure the team are
fully prepared in the event of a real emergency. Sunday was also an opportunity
to get to grips with a new incline cutter tool, which will improve capabilities
even further.
SYNETIQ’s relationship with BARC NW Rescue
can be traced back to Car Transplants Ltd, which previously hosted training
days before becoming part of SYNETIQ in March 2019. SYNETIQ was delighted to continue
this relationship and is looking forward to welcoming the team back soon.
SYNETIQ’s senior management expansion continued last week with
James Brown appointed as Head of Transport.
Based at
the Doncaster operation, James’ role as Head of Transport will cover both collection
and delivery activity where he will support the growth of SYNETIQ’s Green Parts
offer.
James has
excellent and relevant experience in the field of transport and logistics
having held senior roles with Amazon, DFS, Andrew Page and the United Nations,
and will be a great addition to the SYNETIQ team.
SYNETIQ customers now
benefit from an even more secure payment process, using the multi-award winning,
cloud-based SOTpay technology – making payments easier and more secure and
fully PCI DSS compliant.
SYNETIQ customers will
benefit from an extra layer of protection; the use of SOTpay means sensitive
card data never handled by our employees, protecting our customer’s data and
retailer reputation. The new system also means secure payments can be made
through any channel, including SMS, email, social media and web link. There’s
no longer any need for customers to give out card details over the phone.
The
security and traceability of payments has always been high on SYNETIQs agenda.
The business made headlines earlier this year when it announced a no cash payments
for salvage; a policy that was lauded by Police forces across the UK. Embracing
SOTpay is SYNETIQs next step to protect clients and customers against fraud.
Trade sales can be a fantastic route to a great value vehicle… SYNETIQ’s Police Auction is exactly that. Log on to the site and you’ll find hundreds of vehicles live on the site, with the virtual hammer prices at a fraction of what you’d expect to pay.
How does it work?
SYNETIQ is the UKs largest
salvage and dismantling company. It has contracts with many insurance and fleet
companies, as well as many UK Police Forces – this is where Police auction
items come from.
The Police auction was relaunched
last week on a new dedicated platform in tandem with SYNETIQs main salvage
auction, which has thousands of vehicles listed six days a week.
How much does it cost
to register?
Unlike SYNETIQs main
auction, registration for the Police auction is free. Once you’ve registered,
you’ll need to upload proof of identification before you can bid. This ID must
be approved by a member of SYNETIQs team, so leave plenty of time for this if you’re
keen to bid on a vehicle.
First Responders at North
West Ambulance Service are being kept on the road thanks to donations from
vehicle salvage and dismantling business SYNETIQ.
The First Responders team
is Gavin Palin and Max Kelly, who work on behalf of the NHS and North West
Ambulance Trust. Both are volunteers who give up their spare time to help those
in need of urgent assistance, relying on donations in order to operate.
The team are first on the
scene for a wide range of emergencies, providing swift medical attention until a
full-size ambulance arrives. The gap they fill is vital – in some cases it can
be the difference between life and death.
SYNETIQs Nantwich and Winsford
teams have had a relationship with First Responders for over 7 years. In
addition to providing two vehicles for the team, SYNETIQ keeps the First
Responders on the road by providing free fuel, servicing and maintenance.
The relationship between
SYNETIQ and North West Ambulance Service can be traced back to Car Transplants
Ltd – one of the businesses which merged to form SYNETIQ earlier this year. The
business was delighted to continue supporting the First Responders and remains on
hand to provide fuel and maintenance for their vehicles.
John Schofield, Executive
Director at SYNETIQ: “We recognise how important Gavin and Max’s roles are within
our community. We’re pleased to continue supporting them in any way we can.”
You can hear more about Gavin and Max’s work in this video:
