The Drôme GPA Group celebrated its 60th anniversary with its teams, partners and customers on June 2 in Livron-sur-Drôme, the company’s birthplace. This family saga is that of three generations of visionary and committed entrepreneurs who have brought car scrapyards into the era of recycling and the 4.0 economy. This innovative and exemplary approach, integrating new technologies, environmental concerns and restoring the human role in the production process, was recently awarded the “Vitrine Industrie du Futur” label.
With 24,000 vehicles processed per year, the GPA recycler is one of the European leaders in the sector and has set itself many other challenges to meet.
GPA has come a long way since the creation of Etablissements Renaud in 1962 in Livron-sur-Drôme. The original site has been expanded and transformed, boasting 24 ha, 200 employees, an ultra-modern recycling plant for 17,000 m2 and photovoltaic shades, with the spirit and values of the founders Edward and Léone Renaud remaining.
GPA, a player committed to sustainable development
Deeply rooted in its territory, the GPA Group is now positioning itself as a recycler of mobility, a player in the circular economy and a promoter of industrial and territorial ecology.
An approach in favor of sustainable development that the company has adopted in its core business – the GPA second-hand part is at the same time ecological, economic but also social – and in its ecosystem. GPA has thus set up a project, partly financed in a participatory manner, which has enabled the installation of 4 ha of photovoltaic shade structures on its site. The 15 shade houses (i.e. 20,000 solar panels) protect stored vehicles from bad weather and supply electricity to the 5,000 households in the two nearest towns, Livron-sur-Drôme and Loriol-sur-Drôme.
A look back at 60 years of history
1962: Creation of Ets RENAUD by Edward and Léone RENAUD. The activity then consisted of the collection of workshop waste (oils, tires, inner tubes, etc.)
1972: The activity gradually evolves toward the treatment of end-of-life vehicles.
1980: GPA builds a 3,200 m2 building dedicated to the dismantling, storage and sale of used parts.
1990-2000: GPA concentrates on computerizing its business and securing its supplies by signing agreements with the main insurance companies.
1995: The commercial facade is completely renovated, marking a clear difference with a fringe of the profession less sensitive to environmental or organizational concerns.
1997: GPA obtains the Qualicert label, recognition of its commitment to offering customers quality services.
2010: All the land is redeveloped and extended to reach an area of 14 hectares, making GPA one of the largest car recycling centers in Europe.
2015: GPA obtains the ISO 14001 standard – 2017: GPA obtains the ISO 9001 standard.
2018: Expansion of GPA from 14 to 24 hectares.
2019: Completion of the 17,000 m2 factory dedicated to the dismantling, storage and shipping of used parts. This project makes GPA one of the European leaders in its sector of activity in terms of floor space, volume of vehicle recycling and shipments of reused parts.
2021: Finalization of the installation of 4 hectares of photovoltaic shade houses.
2022: GPA diversifies its recycling activity and launches its used motorcycle parts sales site GPA-moto.
About GPA
The GPA Group has brought car scrapping into the 4.0 era. The car recycler has become one of the French leaders in quality reused parts for individuals and professionals. It combines know-how and values cultivated over three generations with digitalization, modernity of its production tool and high requirements in terms of sustainable development. The company has just been awarded the “Showcase Industry of the Future” label by the Alliance Industrie du Futur.
A committed player in the BioVallée territory to which it has remained faithful, the GPA group is gaining momentum and placing innovation and compliance with “Quality – Safety – Environment” standards at the heart of its approach.
To find out more about GPA, visit gpa26.com
