Demand soars for second hand car parts, says Poole firm

May 09, 2023

The sale of used car parts is booming, fuelled by the cost of living crisis and a shortage of components, according to people in the industry.

Poole-based Charles Trent recycles more than 30,000 vehicles a year, processing 250,000 car parts which are sold all over the world.

The company says it is the largest seller of used car parts on eBay and demand is rising.

eBay said used car part sales grew by 10% last year.

Laura Richards, eBay's vehicle parts lead, said: "There is a shortage of parts in the market due to supply chain issues with Brexit and the pandemic. Also there's the cost of living - a big driving factor is the cost of the parts."

The cars processed on the reverse production line in Poole are stripped of all reusable components before the remaining metal is crushed ready for recycling.

Marc Trent, CEO of the firm, said: "We recycle over 96% of the vehicle. We do about 100 cars a day at the moment but we can increase that to 130 a day by the end of the year."

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Charles Trent