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INTERVIEW


“I was recruited by my grandfather in 2002, fresh out of University, to help him integrate the company’s book- keeping system from paper to digital,” says Livingstone, who brought his accounting education to the business. “After that project was completed, and the accounting took half as much time, I took on other projects. I was introduced to various positions around the facility – shipping/warehouse, tow truck operator, loader operator, dismantling and, eventually, sales.” “I can’t help but wonder if my grandfather was grooming me for a potential take over all along,” he says of his various jobs within the business. “I spent most of my time in sales, and then my wife came on in 2010 working with inventory and accounting for a few years, until we purchased the business together in 2013.” As for Livingstone’s service to the industry, he comes by it naturally. “My grandfather is a founding member of ARA of Atlantic Canada (ARAAC) and, at first, he would drag me to the events. But I started to see there was more to these opportunities. I came onto the ARAAC board a year before I bought the business, and traveled to the U.S. and Ontario, a real eye opener.”


Down to Business The full-service business utilizes approximately 40,000


sq. ft. warehouse space and sits on 16 acres on a small island on the Canadian east coast. The u-pull-it side of the business sits on 12 additional acres. The couple is currently in the process of purchasing it from Livingstone’s uncle, who opened the business in 1996. Island Auto Supply employees 18 in the full-service, who work to dismantle 800 late model vehicles a year. The self- serve business handles about 500 vehicles a year, and both accept all makes and models. Some employees are origi- nally from Harvey’s tenure, like Debbie, an administrative employee who has 35 years with the company. The business also has a service center, runs local delivery and operates an eBay store.


Making the Business Run “We have a strong sales team, very experienced and knowledgeable,” says Livingstone. “I view sales as the foundation. That is the hardest position to hire and train. Once that foundation is laid, we built a team that can help deliver the sales teams’ promises to our customers. Our yard staff can work quickly to meet timelines, our disman- tlers quality test as much as possible to limit returns, and our shipping department ensures that our parts get to the


58 // May-June 2021


customer on time, as described.” To ensure that the sales force is successful, the company is always looking for new ways to increase production. They are not afraid to bring in new technologies and production software. Their goal is to have no paper. “We digitize our inventory with bar- coding,” he says, “which allows for a seamless workflow. Also, one thing I did was open delivery routes. There was none before; and, once the delivery route was established, our sales really grew.” “We are most proud of embracing technological changes,” he says. “We have integrated production soft- ware, barcoding inventory system, Wi-Fi in the yard and warehouse, and really streamlined our processes. We shop for services at convention expos to see what vendors have to offer. We enjoy visiting other facilities for tours, where we see the potential in how they operate.” “For instance, in 2013, we didn’t have a core program.


I didn’t know about them. It took one vendor at one show. And now, our core program contributes greatly to the bottom line. If it wasn’t for an association event, I would not know. We can’t operate in a bubble,” he says. Operating as an independent business, he knows there are trading groups that Island Auto Supply could be a part of. “Honestly, two sales guys here trained me. They are seasoned veterans and taught me the business. They know what they are doing and where the business is,” he says.


Expanding Sales “We are always looking to expand revenues; we are hoping to grow the service department and the u-pull-it part of the business. Improving ecommerce is always ongoing, as well,” he says.


In an effort to sell more parts and minimize returns, Livingstone had the vision to open a small service center. “I was seeing opportunities for engine and transmission sales, where the customer could not find anyone to install them. We created a service center to alleviate that problem. We also install brakes, windshields, and provide other ser- vices which has yielded a nice stream of revenue.” As of a few years ago, Island Auto Supply was about 40% wholesale, 40% retail, and 20% to other automotive recyclers. “We have heavy walk in traffic to both the full and self service locations,” he says.


Service and EVs


“When I started going to industry meetings, I admired the board members and executive directors. The peer respect and comradery was appealing, and I wanted to be


Automotive Recycling


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