A HUGE car salvage firm based near York which was sold to a US company in a multi-million pound deal last year is branching out.

US chain Copart Inc bought out the £11.5 million turnover Simpson Bros Auto Salvage, on its 42-acre site at Full Sutton Industrial Estate, near Stamford Bridge, for an undisclosed sum last April.

Now, having built new offices on the estate, it is setting up a new business nearby on February 2 called U-Pull-It where customers will be invited to dismantle vehicle parts themselves.

Copart employee David Stansfield has been promoted to general manager of U-Pull-It, but the two outlets are taking on eight new staff between them.

That is some consolation for the fact that shortly after the takeover half of the 40 staff left, some of them taking voluntary redundancy.

Now numbers have been brought up to about 30 and the plan is to expand still further.

Tim Simpson, part of the Simpson family which sold the auto salvage company to Copart, then stayed on as general manager at York. He said: “U-Pull-It branches are popular in the US. Apart from ours on the Full Sutton Industrial Estate, another one is being set up in Scotland and then they will be rolled out across the UK.

“The main difference between the two companies is that Copart sells about 10,000 salvage vehicles at auction in York, while U-Pull-It sells parts which people can remove from vehicles.

“Gone are the days when customers used to take their life in their hands by climbing metal mountains to get to the wing mirror they want.

“Nowadays each vehicle is on a stand where parts are easily accessible.”

Mr Simpson said there had been a huge surge in demand for second-hand parts as the recession began to bite. “People have been seeking ways to conserve cash and are looking for cheaper options.

“This means choosing to keep your car on the road, rather than buying a new one.”