Groupe GPA Expands R&D to Advance Closed-Loop Automotive Recycling

According to industry reports, French vehicle recycler Groupe GPA is expanding its research and development activities to recover more materials from end-of-life vehicles and return them to automotive manufacturing supply chains.

The company has established a dedicated five-person R&D team led by mechanical engineer Marc Jolivet. The team is developing processes for recovering aluminium, plastics, copper, glass, batteries and rare earth elements, alongside Groupe GPA’s established focus on dismantling vehicles and reusing components.

Groupe GPA said its R&D program has three main objectives: increasing the value recovered from end-of-life vehicles as raw material supply pressures grow, supporting automakers in developing closed-loop material systems, and establishing safe treatment processes, particularly for electric vehicles.

The company is working with vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and industrial partners on individual recovery strategies for different materials. One of the most advanced projects involves aluminium, with Groupe GPA partnering with aluminium specialist SOREMO.

Groupe GPA currently supplies SOREMO with 20 to 30 tonnes of engine blocks each month from dismantled end-of-life vehicles. The engine blocks are processed to recover aluminium, which is melted into ingots for potential use in new vehicle manufacturing.

Based on an annual collection volume of 50,000 vehicles, Groupe GPA estimates that the operation could eventually generate around 100 tonnes of suitable aluminium material per month. With expanded operations, including at its Pont-Sainte-Maxence facility in northern France, the volume could reach approximately 140 tonnes per month by 2029.

The R&D program also covers several major automotive plastics. Research is focused on polypropylene used in components such as bumpers and dashboards, polyamide found in parts including pedals and grilles, and polyurethane used in seat foams. Testing of recovered polypropylene has already demonstrated its potential for use in manufacturing new bumpers.

Copper recovery presents additional technical requirements. Groupe GPA is developing an extraction process intended to achieve the purity and traceability required for closed-loop applications. The company is also testing whether recovered copper can meet the conductivity requirements for automotive wiring harnesses.

Groupe GPA’s work on automotive glass remains at an earlier stage. The company is working with industrial partners to assess recovery processes for glass from windscreens, side windows and rear glazing. Research into rare earth recovery began with initial testing in 2025, with further development and potential partnerships under consideration.

The company also sees end-of-life vehicles collected through its insurance partners as a potential source of secondary raw materials. The R&D program reflects a broader shift in automotive recycling, in which dismantling operations can serve not only as suppliers of reusable parts but also as sources of recovered materials for new vehicle production.

Source: Auto Recycling World

SUNSHINE Spotlight: Groupe GPA’s five-person R&D team is developing closed-loop recovery routes for aluminium, plastics, copper, glass, batteries and rare earth elements, with recycled aluminium already being processed into material for potential use in new vehicles.