Leading global car remarketing firm Copart to open 33-acre site at Corby's Rockingham Speedway

The 33-acre site (in blue) on which Copart are setting up their Corby operations centre. Image: Google

A world-leading car recycling and remarketing firm is set to open a new site in Corby.

Copart, which was founded in the US in 1982 and has become the global leader in its field, is opening its latest UK operations centre on Rockingham Speedway land next to the former raceway stadium currently owned by major industry player Cinch.

Corby has become a key strategic location for vehicle remarketing, with more than 400 acres across the town dedicated to the trade. Cinch already runs two massive sites at Geddington Road as well as one at Baird Road and a major repurposing facility at the former Speedway in Mitchell Road.

The new 33-acre Copart site will have the capacity to store 38,000 vehicles, sandwiched between the unused Corby Northern Orbital Road and the stadium’s former car park. It is the firm’s fourth operations centre in their central UK region – with the closest existing locations in Chester, Wolverhampton, and Wisbech.

The firm opened its UK arm in 2007 and now has 23 sites across the country. It handles 500,000 used vehicles each years through online auctions for a variety of customers including finance companies, banks, dealers, fleets, rental car companies and the insurance industry, as well as motor traders.

Members can choose salvage and non-salvage vehicles including agricultural and plant, HGVs, commercial vehicles, motorcycles and more.

This announcement follows recent updates from the company regarding expansions at their existing centres in Rochford, Westbury, and Wisbech, and the addition of a new 31-acre site in East Kilbride that will double their operational capabilities in Scotland.

Jane Pocock, CEO of Copart UK and Ireland, said: “We’re very excited to announce our plans to develop a new operation centre in Corby, which will provide annual storage capacity for 38,000 vehicles.

“Situated in close proximity to Leicester, Northampton, and Peterborough, Corby is a perfect location to further strengthen our unrivalled operational capabilities in the central region of the UK.

“There will be more announcements to come for our customers as we continue to expand our landbank and our range of industry leading products and services.”

Subject to planning permission, Copart anticipates the Corby site to be operational in Autumn 2023.