Our Business Profile from the July 1994 Locater issue:

Anyone can do physical changes, but what really impresses me about the guys at Metro Auto Salvage is the attitude change that I've seen." Bob Gerzel, of Gerzel's Recycler's Storage Systems has seen the transformation at Metro Auto Salvage from an unorganized, muddy, typical junk yard to the modernized recycling facility that it is today. Situated in New York City, between Brooklyn and Queens, Gerzel said that change doesn't come naturally or easily. "I set up a plan for a two year renovation of the yard," Said Gerzel. "You can't do everything at once."

Owner Vinnie Marino opened the business in 1981 and managed to get by with little organization. The business never really flourished however, until 1986 when Bob Gerzel offered his services to reorganize the business' racking and general operations. 'When I went there for the first time," Gerzel recalls, "there was mud all over the yard and a pig in it. Literally. A pig was in their yard."

What followed that day was the renovation of Metro Auto Salvage. "The first thing we did was to put a surface down in the yard. The whole yard was covered with concrete and a racking system was installed."

A two story building was then built to store additional racking systems and an Autolnfo computer system was purchased. Slowly, the yard started to take shape as a modern recycling facility.

"The attitude of those working at Metro changed along with the business," said Gerzel. "It was the transformation of attitudes that I was impressed with the most."

The business that once had a mud yard with a pig in it was now being toured by attendees of the ARA Midyear convention. The business that once had little or no community involvement is now a member of the New York City and the New York State Association.

Metro Auto Salvage employs a total of ten people including some in a glass shop. "Glass is big business in New York because of all the vandalism," explained Gerzel.

Of the 1800 cars the business dismantles each year, most of them imports, about sixty percent of them are sold wholesale, leaving forty percent for retail business.

Advertising sources for the business include yellow pages, salespeople knocking on doors and The Locator. "With sixteen million people in a fifteen mile radius, it gets very competitive," said Gerzel. 'That is why Metro does some shipping."

The location of the business also does not allow for ample space for storing inventory. With about an acre to work with, Metro utilizes only the most efficient racking system in their yard and within their two-story, 5,000 square foot storage building.

Since the transformation of the business, nearly all of the older model cars have been sold and are only being replaced with '88 models or newer.
"A lot has changed at Metro," said Gerzel. "Their front room is beautiful. They have a slate stairway and showers upstairs near the offices."

According to Gerzel, with the many changes that Metro Auto Salvage underwent, the two-year renovation seemed to work. "They really take pride in the
place now, "Gerzel said. "It truly is a rags to riches story."