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Groupe GPA strengthens R&D to advance closed-loop automotive recycling

Groupe GPA is strengthening its R&D programme to turn end-of-life vehicles into a more valuable source of secondary raw materials. By developing closed-loop systems for aluminium, plastics, copper, glass and rare earths, the French recycler aims to help manufacturers cut emissions, improve traceability and reduce reliance on virgin materials.

French vehicle recycler Groupe GPA is expanding its research and development activities as it looks beyond parts reuse towards closed-loop recovery of aluminium, plastics, copper, glass, batteries and rare earth materials for use in new vehicles.

Groupe GPA has established a dedicated five-person R&D team to develop new processes for recovering materials from end-of-life vehicles and returning them to automotive manufacturing supply chains.

The move represents a strategic shift in how the French recycler views end-of-life vehicles, with greater emphasis being placed on their potential as a source of secondary raw materials alongside the recovery of reusable vehicle parts.

Led by mechanical engineer Marc Jolivet, the team is focusing on three main objectives: increasing the value recovered from materials amid growing pressure on raw material supplies; supporting vehicle manufacturers in establishing closed-loop systems; and developing safe treatment processes, particularly for electric vehicles.

Working alongside vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and industrial partners, GPA is developing individual strategies covering aluminium, plastics, copper, batteries, glass and rare earth elements.

Aluminium returns to vehicle production

One of the most advanced projects is a partnership with aluminium specialist SOREMO.

GPA is currently supplying SOREMO with between 20 and 30 tonnes of engine blocks each month from dismantled end-of-life vehicles. The engines are processed to recover high-quality aluminium, which is melted into ingots suitable for reintroduction into new vehicle manufacturing.

Based on an annual collection volume of 50,000 vehicles, GPA estimates it could eventually generate around 100 tonnes of suitable aluminium material each month.

As operations expand, including at its Pont-Sainte-Maxence facility in northern France, this could rise to approximately 140 tonnes per month by 2029. GPA also highlights the potential carbon savings associated with using recycled aluminium as manufacturers seek to reduce the environmental footprint of vehicle production.

Plastics, copper and other materials

GPA’s R&D programme is also examining three major automotive plastics: polypropylene used in components including bumpers and dashboards; polyamide found in parts such as pedals and grilles; and polyurethane used in seat foams.

Polypropylene is among the areas showing the greatest progress, with testing already demonstrating its potential to be incorporated into the production of new bumpers.

Copper presents different challenges. GPA says it has been developing an extraction method designed to provide the purity and traceability required for closed-loop reuse. Researchers are also testing whether recovered copper can deliver sufficient conductivity for use in new automotive wiring harnesses.

Work on recovering automotive glass is at an earlier stage, with GPA engaging industrial partners to explore processes for material taken from windscreens, side windows and rear glazing.

Rare earth recovery is another part of the programme. Initial tests were carried out in 2025, with further research and discussions with potential partners planned.

GPA Johan Renaud describes end-of-life vehicles collected through the company’s insurance partners as an “urban mine”, arguing that automotive recycling must increasingly contribute to decarbonisation, resource security and the development of traceable material supply chains.

For vehicle recyclers, the programme reflects a wider transition in which dismantling operations may increasingly become suppliers not only of reusable parts, but also of strategically important materials capable of returning directly to vehicle production.

Source: Johan Renaud – “Boucles fermées dans l’industrie automobile”, LinkedIn