ATF Professional spoke to Jamie Thompson, owner of Redcorn Ltd, an ELV and nuisance vehicle specialist based in London, to learn about the service they provide and their expansion plans to branch out of the capital.
Then and now
Redcorn was established in 1992 by my father, Steve Thompson, as a vehicle recycling centre and disposal agent based in White Hart Lane in Tottenham, London. In 2007, my father retired, and I took over. At that time, we had 21 staff and 14 recovery vehicles.
Today, we have over 350 staff and 230 vehicles on the road and sites in Tottenham, Enfield and Essex, and we have just expanded north to Derbyshire.
We are now in the process of securing a site in company with Ward in Bristol.
Capital opportunities and challenges
London, being so densely populated, means the road routes are busier and more challenging to get around for collections. The ULEZ laws mean that some customers dispose of cars sooner than they would in other areas, but it also means that there are significant costs to enter the city. Therefore, we have invested heavily in new vehicles over the last few years. Our drivers are highly skilled, and all receive intensive training to be able to get around in order to recover vehicles in these areas.
ULEZ meant we had to invest heavily to be able to stay competitive in the area. I started early to ensure that it didn’t have too much of an effect on the business.
Working with local authorities
The service we offer is unparalleled, and I think that the councils know this. We have the vehicles, trained staff, and contract managers who have a great relationship with our council partners. If there is a problem with a vehicle that needs collecting, we can do it.
The council contracts provide us with work that fits perfectly alongside the scrap business.
We regard ourselves as the largest UK car dismantler/disposer and the UK’s largest Council contractor removing nuisance vehicles.
Branching out of the capital
We have been working in Ilkeston in Derbyshire for the past eight weeks. Working closely with Ward Recycling has given us a great opportunity to expand North and test out the first step of expanding towards national coverage (which would be my eventual goal). We have always had a good relationship with Ward, and we hope to carry the relationship forward for many years.
We intend to be active in the new Bristol site before Spring 2023 again in company with Ward.
It wasn’t a new idea to expand North – it’s been my intention for some time. This venture has come about due to the timing being right for both us and Ward. We have the facilities and equipment to be able to expand the collection area of Redcorn and take a large step towards the National coverage I want. We also have 18 new vehicles on order for new sites North of London which will help us to reach our goal of covering the rest of the North.
I intend to be able to go to any city in England one day and be able to see one of our trucks collecting a car. That’s what drives me on.
For further information about Redcorn, please visit www.redcorn.co.uk
