Copart to double operational capabilities in Scotland

In yet another strand of their ongoing growth programme, global leader in online vehicle remarketing, Copart UK, are set to double their operational capabilities in Scotland with the announcement of a new Operation Centre near Glasgow.

Plans for a new 31-acre site in East Kilbride will support the company’s growth in Scotland, in addition to Copart’s existing Operation Centre in Whitburn, and sister company UPI based in Inverkeithing.

Expansion in Scotland is part of Copart’s ambitious growth programme to meet continued demand from their customers, including most of the UK’s major insurance companies.

Situated near Glasgow, the new site in East Kilbride, alongside Copart’s Whitburn site which serves the Edinburgh area, will provide strategic operational coverage for both of Scotland’s major cities.

Phil Briggs, Copart UK’s Director of Operation Centres, Transport & Engineering, said:

“We’re very excited to announce our plans to develop a new Operation Centre in East Kilbride, which will provide annual storage capacity for over 49,000 vehicles. Alongside our existing 30-acre site in Whitburn, it offers the potential for Copart to handle around 100,000 cars per year across Scotland.

“Situated in close proximity to Glasgow, East Kilbride is a perfect location to further support growth and enable us to provide our industry leading products and services in Scotland.”

East Kilbride is a strategic location with good transport links, providing Copart with further storage capacity and scale to offer their fast and efficient surge management services, in response to the extreme weather-related events which can typically affect Scotland.

This announcement follows recent updates from the company about plans to develop a further 23 acres at their Bristol Operation Centre to create a 63-acre ‘Super Centre’ for the South West of England, and an expansion of their Wisbech Operation Centre in Cambridgeshire.

Jane Pocock, Managing Director of Copart UK & Ireland, said:

“We’re delighted to announce yet another strand of Copart’s extensive reinvestment strategy, which combines a programme of land acquisition with continuous improvement at existing sites and reinvestment in transport, services, and technology.

“As a market leader with relentless passion to keep growing and improving our services to customers, we’re very excited to extend our investment programme into Scotland, further strengthening our unrivalled operational capabilities in this part of the UK.”

Subject to all relevant planning permissions, Copart anticipates the Operation Centre in East Kilbride to be available for use by the end of 2021, and fully operational in 2022.