ARN Project Leader, Willem Nuiten, insists that the electronic cover letter reduces the likelihood of making mistakes and saves everyone a lot of time. “We achieved the first objective of the project in January 2022, by which time 100 companies had already started using the letter. We ended the same year with 130 affiliated companies, a great result!” The companies that are not yet using are it mainly car-dismantling companies that dispose of end-of-life vehicles less frequently or send them abroad, explains Nuiten. “But everyone who is already using the electronic cover letter is really enthusiastic about it!”
All Dutch shredder companies have now switched to using the electronic cover letter, but not all ARN-recognised intermediate dealers made the switch in 2022.
International transport
The cover letter is not yet being used for end-of-life vehicles destined for recognised foreign shredder companies. It is legally valid in the Netherlands, but not for the transport of end-of-life vehicles across national borders. “However, we are currently working on a pilot with a car-dismantling company and a foreign shredder company,” assures Nuiten. “Initial results are positive, so we may soon be rolling out the electronic cover letter to the other foreign shredder companies.”
In the context of this pilot, all ARN activities are handled digitally but the legally mandated paper transport documents will continue to exist.
Aiming for 100 per cent
The ultimate objective is to realise 100 per cent use of the cover letter. “Fully digitalising the administrative process saves a lot of time, not to mention paper and postage stamps,” continues Nuiten, emphasising that electronic processing calls for fewer actions and reduces the chance of making mistakes. . “All you have to do is create the transport letter digitally and then link the weight of the end-of-life vehicles to it in the online environment.”
It also makes life much easier for car-dismantling companies that outsource transport documentation to the receiving shredder or intermediate company. All they need to do is log in, check the data and, if all’s well, click the “thumbs up” button. The information will then be shared directly with ARN. “The electronic cover letter will save car-dismantling companies a lot of administrative hassle,” concludes Nuiten.