While EMR is one of the world's most advanced recyclers of end-of-life vehicles, it is the company's staff which so often help it to stand out from the competition.
At EMR Plymouth, Nathan Vine oversees the company’s end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recycling operation – providing a service he is proud to say delivers on safety, sustainability and customer experience.
“We have one of the largest vehicle recycling facilities in the country – and this means we can have clearly separated sections for different stages of the vehicle recycling process. That includes removing air conditioning units, tyres and batteries – all of which can be hazardous if not treated carefully.”
Though EMR Plymouth is among the company’s smallest sites, the size of its vehicle recycling facility will also make it ideal for the future challenges of sustainably recycling electric vehicles (EVs), Nathan believes:
“There are different processes needed to recycle EVs, compared to traditional cars. EMR Plymouth will have the space to handle both kinds of vehicles in a safe, environmentally-conscious and efficient way.”
While safety and efficiency are of paramount importance to Nathan and his team, they also put a lot of focus on delivering great customer service.
“Our team of trained staff are always happy to help and explain how their car is going to be processed. Customers see our machinery and the crane we use, which can be daunting for someone coming to an EMR site for the first time, so we always like to give them insight into what we do. They’re often amazed at the scale of our operations.”
Nathan joined the company in August 2019, following a 13-year career in the Royal Navy and a period working as a prison guard at HMP Exeter.
“When I left school, my Mum took me to the recruiting office for the Armed Forces. I watched a number of videos, and the Royal Navy showed a life of barbecues on the flight deck and travelling the world, whereas the Royal Marines was all about going through the jungle and crawling underwater – so I decided I would go with the Royal Navy!”
Nathan trained as a chef and enjoyed his time onboard the Navy’s vessels, seeing as much of the world as he had hoped. Yet family life eventually made continuing this career difficult to justify.
“Before my last tour, my wife was pregnant and, as I went past my second son’s bedroom, I heard him crying because he didn’t want me to go. I decided that was it for me.”
The Navy helped Nathan find his next role at HMP Exeter, but again shift work and a long commute meant that time for family life was limited.
“Now, working for EMR, I live less than a mile from the site and my kids always know I’ll be home for dinner.”
Nathan says the fact EMR is itself a family business helps ensure people are put first and he and his team can have a better work/life balance.
“We might be a huge business with sites around the world but, whether you are working for EMR or coming to site as a customer, we work hard to make sure everyone knows they are a valued member of our community.”
