Telford auction going from strength to strength

A Shropshire firm, which is part of Britain's biggest independent car auction group, is going from strength to strength following a major refurbishment of its offices and acquiring extra land.

Telford Motor Auctions at Trench Lock, Telford was taken over by Wilsons Auctions in 2007, with its founder Tony Esp being retained as managing director. Wilsons Auctions, which has its head office in Mallusk, Northern Ireland, also has branches in Dublin, Dalry, Portadown, Queensferry and Stratford-Upon-Avon.

As well as selling second-hand cars, the group auctions vans, plant and machinery, tractors, office equipment, motorcycles and quad bikes, boats and caravans, antiques and art, as well as holding police auctions and liquidation and disposal sales.

At the Telford auction complex, car sales are held on a Wednesday at 12.15pm and Friday at 6pm, with a commercial auction held around 3pm on a Wednesday afternoon.

General manager Paul Mallen said the Telford site was launched by Tony Esp in 1984. He later sold it to another company, while remaining MD, before Wilsons acquired the site.

He said Telford Motor Auctions started off as a three-acre site. It has recently increased to six acres.

Paul said: "The offices were refurbished and opened again here in January this year. It was a major refurbishment and what Wilsons also did, they acquired an old row of houses at the top of the yard known as Chestnut Terrace. These were owned by the council and were individual workshop units. They were knocked down, adding a further two acres to the site." More land has also been acquired.

Paul added: "The business has obviously grown over the years and I think people's perspective of car auctions has changed, and we try and give people confidence that they can buy a car at a motor auction."

Paul, who has worked at the Telford site for 23 years, said that he and his staff were constantly working towards and preparing for the auctions.

"We offer 300 cars a sale," he said.

"They're from various sources; from private individuals, main dealers or lease companies. The cars get driven in the ring. There is a description in the windscreen for every car. Some are mileage warrantied and some are not. The people that are there bid for the car that they would like to own."

Paul said the bidders can be private individuals, motor dealers or company directors looking for a car for their company.

"They can pay for it and take it on the night," he said.

"They've got two working days to pay for the car after they have left a deposit. We're open all week for viewing. People can come in an look at the cars going to auction."

A cash deposit of £100 is payable, on the fall of the auctioneers hammer, on vehicles up to £2,000. A £300 deposit is required for cars over £2,000. In addition to the purchase price, a buyers fee is payable on all vehicles sold.

Sellers can get information on what they need to supply via www.wilsonsauctions.com/telford.asp

Vehicles are "sold as seen", said Paul. Any vehicles that go through the ring and remain unsold remain on site.

He explained: "They have to go through the auction first. If a vehicle remains unsold, then anybody can walk through in the week and make an offer. Though we never sell a car without it first having been through the auction."

Paul said that some cars come in to auction already valeted, while those that haven't will be, and they concentrate on filling the yard with cars every week. He compared preparing the cars for auction to managing a football team, preparing it for its matches every week.

"Twice a week you've got a chance to get it right," he said.

"The focus on Monday is the sale on Wednesday. As soon as the Wednesday sale is behind us we're looking to focus on Friday evening. Both the staff in the yard and the staff in the office are constantly focusing on the sale in front of us."

And many in the audience in the auction room will have come from all over the country to bid for a bargain.