ARA Annual Convention

The Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA)’s 73rd Annual Convention and Exposition will take place October 26-29, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland and promises to offer four days of extensive educational seminars focused on the professional automotive recycling industry’ and offering updates and new ideas for ARA member businesses.

In addition, this year’s event features an all-day Technology Forum focusing on using technology to stay competitive in the automotive parts market.   “We believe that a highly focused forum on using technology to stay competitive in the automotive parts market and industry is exactly what our members and their employees are looking for,” said CEO Michael E. Wilson.

An exciting part about the forum is that it is designed to act as a standalone so ARA member businesses can send their employees for the day to learn new technology without the concern of overnight travel costs and at low, one-day price.  During the Forum, attendees will hear from several of the leading automotive recycling industry service and software providers, including Hollander, Car-Part, CRUSH and Power-DB.

Keynote speakers for the 2016 Convention include Joe Pickard, chief economist of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) who will discuss the key factors impacting commodity and recycling markets and recent pricing trends.   Also speaking will be Tanvir Arfi, president of Service, Maintenance, Repair and Parts Platform for Solera Holdings to discuss the growing technological changes of today’s vehicles and the impact those electronic components will have on recyclers.

The education sessions will include a roundtable discussion on tackling the tough issues and an update on the precious metals market with a look at supply, demand and PGM loadings for catalytic converters.

Among the general sessions attendees will have the opportunity to participate in ARA Educational Foundation discussions, the general annual membership meeting as well as various committee meetings and the annual Ladies of the Automotive Recycling Association (LARA) meeting.  The ARA Educational Foundation will be conducting a fundraising event during the meeting to help raise money for ARA scholarships awarded to children of ARA member employees. For more information visit www.araexpo.org.