BCA Acquires Aston Barclay to Secure UK Vehicle Remarketing Market

BCA, the largest used car auction group in the UK, has acquired its rival Aston Barclay, along with its subsidiary The Car Buying Group, as announced by its owner, Constellation Automotive Group. This acquisition follows the closure of Aston Barclay's Leeds remarketing center in January due to challenging market conditions. The transaction aims to ensure the long-term viability of Aston Barclay's centers by integrating and rebranding them as BCA facilities, thus preventing further closures. Investment from Constellation and augmented vehicle supply from WeBuyAnyCar are anticipated to stabilize Aston Barclay's operations. No immediate redundancies or operational changes have been disclosed, but the transition is set to begin in May. This acquisition arrives as Constellation faces financial hurdles, marking a pre-tax loss of £74.4 million for its most recent fiscal year.