Vehicle salvage giant doubles up in Scotland with new site to handle 49,000 motors

A vehicle salvage and online auction business is to double up in Scotland with the creation of a major site in East Kilbride.

Copart UK, which is part of the US-based global Copart business, handles vehicles collected for the likes of fleet operators, motor traders and finance companies for salvage and remarketing via a global online auction.

The planned new operation centre is part of Copart UK’s growth programme to meet increasing demand from its customers, which include most of Britain’s major insurance companies.

Alongside the firm’s existing centre in Whitburn, and the Inverkeithing base of its sister company UPI, the 31-acre site in East Kilbride will enable the business to provide “strategic operational coverage” for both Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Copart UK, which is part of the US-based global Copart business, handles vehicles collected for the likes of fleet operators, motor traders and finance companies for salvage and remarketing via a global online auction.

The East Kilbride centre will provide annual storage capacity for some 49,000 vehicles. Subject to planning permission, the firm anticipates the new facility will be available for use by the end of 2021, and fully operational in 2022.

Copart UK’s director of operation centres, transport and engineering, Phil Briggs, said: “Alongside our existing 30-acre site in Whitburn, it offers the potential for Copart to handle around 100,000 cars per year across Scotland. East Kilbride is a perfect location to further support growth.”

Jane Pocock, managing director of Copart UK & Ireland, added: “We’re very excited to extend our investment programme into Scotland, further strengthening our unrivalled operational capabilities in this part of the UK.”

Globally, Copart operates across 200 locations in 11 countries including the US, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Spain, Germany and Brazil.

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