Groupe GPA, a key player in automotive recycling in France, strategically establishes itself in the Grand Ouest by acquiring its Angevin counterpart, Debrito. This operation comes at a time of strong growth in the reused spare parts market, fueled by efforts to combat rising repair costs on one hand and climate change on the other. This external growth operation enables GPA to strengthen its national positioning while preserving its carbon footprint. The Group aims to increase its annual production to reach 700,000 second-hand parts by 2027, nearly three times its current capacity. This new territorial network brings GPA closer to its vehicle supply sources and its customers. The leaders chose Debrito for its highly modern production facilities, recognized expertise, and strategic geographic location.
The roles in the end-of-life vehicle treatment sector are also undergoing significant changes due to regulatory developments (AGEC law, European directive, manufacturers’ extended producer responsibility, Automotive Sector Strategic Contract…), challenges related to electric vehicle treatment, and recruitment challenges.
In this complex context, Groupe GPA, an industrial player in the circular economy specialized in automotive recycling, has taken a new step in its development strategy with the acquisition of Debrito since June 1, 2024. They have initiated the integration process of a company that focuses on the reused spare parts market in the west of France.
Johan Renaud, Director of Groupe GPA, explains:
“We are proud to welcome the Debrito team within GPA. This integration makes sense as we share a common vision of our profession based on a deeply rooted family culture and high standards in terms of service quality and production. To consolidate our expertise and address the technical, organizational, and regulatory challenges of our sector, we have chosen to rely on an expert and renowned company. This production center will be our base in Western France.”
A strategic location for development and carbon footprint improvement
This establishment in the Angers area places 35 departments in the West within less than 4 hours from a GPA site. Bringing supply sources and customers closer together will contribute to reducing emissions related to the transportation of parts and vehicles.
These are decisive arguments for a company that envisions its development with an overarching focus on environmental practices and its societal role. This is how GPA became the first “mission-driven company” in the automobile recycling sector.
GPA and Debrito: a shared culture of service, customer care, and the human factor
Groupe GPA, which celebrated 60 years of existence in 2022 and Debrito founded in 1971, share a deeply embedded family business culture and a recognized image in the sector. Despite being a smaller-sized company, the Angers company shares with GPA a digital DNA that facilitated the development of its own ERP system, an industrial DNA with a disassembly chain similar to the one at the Drôme site, and a highly structured organization.
This industry expertise and valuable human resources are assurances that the parts produced and the service provided by this “GPA 49” factory will meet GPA’s standards and customers’ expectations.
The forty employees of Debrito have joined the nearly 250 employees of “GPA 26”. Labeled as a “Great Place to Work” since March 2023, this company has placed human beings at the core of its concerns and reflections.
A 4-month initial phase, necessary for mutual discovery of the various stakeholders and the harmonization of processes, will enable a smooth integration for a merger of the companies announced on October 1, 2024. This process will be guided by the leaders of both entities.
With this acquisition, Groupe GPA marks the first step in a process to strengthen its position nationally and consider European outreach. To achieve this, they aim to have 80% of French territory within less than 4 hours of a GPA industrial site by 2025. This ambition will be combined with a commitment to the company’s family character and a vision to lead the way towards a green industry serving territories and the environment.
About GPA
A medium-sized company based in Livron-sur-Drôme (Drôme, France), family-managed for 60 years by three successive generations, GPA is both a recycling industry actor and a distributor of used auto parts, aligning its mission with the principles of the circular economy by:
- Recycling parts, materials, and polluting products from accidented or end-of-life vehicles.
- Marketing reused parts and materials to individuals and professionals through disassembly.
- Extending the lifespan of vehicles and thereby aligning its activities with a socially and environmentally favorable dynamic.
- Leveraging its expertise to assist mobility companies in promoting the eco-design of their products.
As of October 1, 2023, Groupe GPA became France’s first automotive recycler with a mission. Awarded the “Future Industry Showcase” award in 2022 and “Great Place to Work” label in 2023 and 2024, it is certified on ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 50001, and Qualicert standards. It also received the National Research and Safety Institute (INRS) medal in 2021 for its policy and actions in professional risk prevention.
Visit www.groupe-gpa.fr
GPA in numbers:
→ 24-hectare site in Livron-sur-Drôme housing a state-of-the-art 17,000 square meters factory.
→ Positive energy company with a two-blade wind turbine and dedicated solar panels for self-consumption, along with 4 ha of photovoltaic canopies supplying electricity to 5,000 households.
→ 2023 turnover: €63 million.
→ Nearly 250 employees carrying out 30 different roles within the company, ranging from handling to software engineering, transport, or sales.
→ 28,000 vehicles processed annually.
→ 1,500 reused parts produced and shipped daily.
→ 150,000 auto and motorcycle parts in stock.
→ 99.7% of the mass of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) valorized.
About Debrito SAS
- Company established in 1971 by the parents of Christophe and Michaël Debrito.
- 5-hectare site with a modern spare parts production factory sized for processing 15,000 vehicles per year.
- The factory is located in Ecouflant, at the heart of Angers Loire Métropole and its 310,000 inhabitants.
- Employs around forty people.
- Processes 5,000 vehicles per year and holds almost 90,000 used parts in stock.
