A NEW service centre being opened in Bedford by a vehicle remarketing company is set to create up to 35 new jobs.
Copart UK has secured 10,000 square feet of office accommodation across three floors at Franklin Court on the Priory Business Park.
The new Customer Excellence Centre will house around 135 staff and is expected to open for business in the New Year. Around 100 will be moving to Franklin Court from Copart’s head office in Wootton, while recruitment for the remaining roles will take place in the coming months.
The additional space created in Wootton by the move also brings the potential for new roles there, in areas including finance, HR, IT and marketing.
The move is in response to growing demand from customers, the company says.
Copart UK, part of the US-based global Copart business, has seen significant growth across the UK and currently has around 1,200 employees across 18 locations, including more than 250 in Wootton. The number of roles it offers in the UK, including current vacancies, has increased by nearly 15% in the past 12 months.
The company handles vehicles collected for their customers, who include most of the UK’s biggest insurers, for salvage and remarketing via their global online auction.
The move into Franklin Court follows the rapid expansion of their customer service functions, which include claims negotiation and settlement, engineering, and vehicle finance management.
Jane Pocock, managing director of Copart UK & Ireland, said the new offices formed a vital part of the company’s expansion.
“It supports our commitment to digital transformation, providing a central hub for the continued development and enhancement of technology and purpose-built systems,” she added.
“This is a great location for us, close to our head office, and creates the future potential for many new job opportunities in the Bedford area.”
