What Van? Britain's biggest and best van buyers' guide

Our first Remarketing Company of the Year Award recognises the biggest player in the UK’s light commercial vehicle auction sector, BCA.

With some 4.6 million LCVs on the UK’s roads and new sales making up less than 8% of this number every year, it is hard to overestimate the importance of the remarketing sector.

BCA’s combination of physical and digital sales means buyers can source the stock they need in the manner that suits them best, whatever their location or purchasing preference.

In terms of physical auction sales, BCA runs the largest programme nationwide, with more than 3,000 LCVs offered every week.

The company rebranded its Glasgow site as a specialist Commercial Vehicle Centre during 2019 – it now handles all sales of LCVs (and HGVs) for the Scottish marketplace. It also introduced new LCV sales in Bridgwater, Leeds and Paddock Wood to complement existing auctions at Blackbushe, Manchester, Measham and Wolverhampton.

BCA incorporates live online bidding into all of its physical sales, allowing the company to offer LCVs to the widest specialist audience of buyers. It claims more than half the LCVs it sells now go to online bidders.

The BCA Buyer app facilitates live bidding from mobile devices for professional buyers and the firm says upwards of 50% of its buyers have already used the app, which it supports with real-time-decision intelligence capability.

BCA’s programme of online-only LCV auctions has also gained traction in 2019 with branded sales presenting buyers with a wide choice. As customers become more confident with making transactions remotely, BCA’s Buy Now and Bid Now channels are expanding as their around-the-clock availability appeals to customers needing to make a speedy purchase, according to the remarketing giant.

BCA has staged a series of specialist events this year to support the growing demand for low-emission vans, including the first ULEZ (ultra-low emission zone) sale at Blackbushe in March, prior to the zone going live in London in April. The multi-vendor auction only featured Euro6 or electric or hybrid vehicles that can enter the ULEZ free of charge. BCA sold 148 LCVs at the event, including short-, medium- and long-wheelbase panel vans, Lutons, tippers, flatbeds and car-derived models. Following the sale, BCA business development director for commercial vehicles Jon Gilbert said: “Several major buyers attending the sale confirmed that they only retail Euro6-compliant vehicles and, as a result, found the event exceptionally useful.”